LIBRARY 

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HISTORY 


OP    THE 


Town  of  "Worthington, 


FBOM   Its 


FIRST  SETTLEMENT  TO   1874. 


SPRINGFIELD,  MASS.: 

CLARK    W.    BRYAN    &    COMPANY,    PRINTERS 
1874. 


i7^ 


SECULAR    HISTORY 


Town  of  "Worthington, 


FROM    ITS 


FIRST  SETTLEMENT  TO   1854. 


By  JAMES  C.  RICE. 


"No  liistory  can  present  us  with  the  whole  truth;  but  those  are  the  best  histories,  which 
exhibit  such  parts  of  the  truth,  as  most  nearly  produce  the  effect  of  the  whole."— Macaulay. 


TO    THK 

OLD  PEOPLE  OF  WORTHINGTON, 

THIS  HI8TOKICAL  PAMPHLET  IS  MOST  BBSPEOTFULLY 
WITH     EARNEST     WISHES 

FOR  THEIR  HAPPINESS  AND  PROSPERITY, 
BY    THE    AUTHOR. 


PREFACE 


Feeling  that  the  unrecorded  history  of  one's  native  town, 
like  the  unmarked  graves  of  parents,  evidences  both  the  want 
of  a  proper  respect  and  a  filial  gratitude,  we  commenced  the 
following  chapters,  more  from  a  sense  of  duty  than  from  mo- 
tives less  worthy  of  regard.  To  this  sense  of  duty  was  soon 
added  the  virtue  of  necessity,  which  so  often  causes  a  per- 
son to  hazard  that  before  the  public  eye  which  no  motives 
otherwise  could  have  induced,  and  no  ambition  could  have 
prompted. 

Taking  advantage,  therefore,  of  the  recollection  of  the  living 
and  the  records  of  the  dead,  we  place  before  the  people  of 
Worthington  a  history  of  their  town,  asking  for  its  brevity,  its 
imperfections,  and  its  errors,  that  charity  of  criticism  which  a 
thoughtful  consideration  of  the  many  difficulties  and  disad- 
vantages under  which  it  was  written,  will  naturally  suggest. 

Worthington,  July  lO^A,  1853. 


SECULAR  HISTORY. 


CHAPTER  L 

THE  EARLY  SETTLEMENT  OF  THE  TOWN. 

On  the  2d  of  June,  1762,  by  order  of  the  General  Court,  nine 
plantations  of  land  were  sold  at  public  auction  in  Boston. 
These  plantations  embraced  the  townships  of  Cummington 
and  Plainfield,  Windsor,  Partridgefield  (now  called  Peru  and 
Hinsdale)  and  Worthington,  on  the  Green  Mountains,  to- 
gether with  ^ve  other  towns,  situated  in  different  parts  of  the 
State.  "  Plantation  ]^o.  3,"  which  extended  at  that  time,  on 
the  east,  as  far  as  the  north  branch  of  the  Westfield  river,  was 
purchased  by  Col.  Worthington,  of  Springfield,  and  Maj.  Bar- 
nard, of  Deerfield,  for  about  Xl,500.  In  honor  of  the  former 
gentleman,  who  liberally  induced  the  early  settlers  to  occupy 
the  land,  by  the  erection  of  a  church  and  a  grist-mill,  at  his 
own  expense,  together  with  a  generous  assignment  of  minis- 
terial and  school  lots  for  the  use  of  the  town,  the  plantation 
was  called  Worthington.  The  larger  part  of  the  first  inhabi- 
tants of  the  town  came  from  Connecticut,  and  the  middle  and 
eastern  counties  of  this  State;  among  whom  was  I^athan 
Leonard,  who  resided  where  his  grandson,  Mr.  Alonson  Leon- 
ard, now  lives;  and  Samuel  Clapp,  who  resided  in  a  log  house, 
near  the  lot  of  ground  now  occupied  by  what  is  called  the 
Woodbridge  place  ;  ]N'athaniel  Daniels,  who  built  the  first 
frame  house  in  town,  nearly  opposite  to  the  dwelling  of  Mr. 
Tilson  Bartlett;  Nahum  Eager,  wdio  resided  near  the  place 
2 


10  SECULAR   HISTORY   OF   THE 

where  Mr.  Nathaniel  Eager  now  lives,  and  who  was  the  first 
representative  of  the  town  in  the  Provincial  Congress,  held  at 
Cambridge;  Doctor  Moses  Morse,  whose  house  stood  on  a 
spot  of  ground  between  the  dwellings  of  Mr.  Ames  Burr  and 
Medad  Ames,  now  marked  by  a  butternut  tree  ;  John  Kinne, 
who  lived  on  the  place  now  owned  by  Mr.  Jotham  Clark; 
Ebenezer  Leonard,  who  resided  on  the  place  now  occupied  by 
the  dwelling-house  of  Mr.  Ames  Burr ;  Thomas  Clemmons, 
who  lived  where  Mr.  Jonathan  Burr  now  resides;  Benjamin 
Biglow,  who  resided  in  a  house  situated  north  and  east  ol 
what  is  now  called  the  Jonah  Brewster  farm  ;  Thomas  Kinne, 
who  lived  on  the  above  named  farm,  and  from  whom  the 
brook,  near  that  place,  took  its  name;  John  AYatts,  who  re- 
sided a  few  rods  east  of  the  first  church  that  was  built  in  town  ; 
Ephraim  Wheeler,  who  resided  near  the  spot  of  ground  now  occu- 
pied by  the  house  of  Mr.  Harrington  ;  Mr.  Collamore,  who  lived 
nearly  opposite  to  Mr.  Wheeler's ;  Alexander  Miller,  who  re- 
sided on  the  "  Bufiington  place,"  and  who  was  the  first  inn- 
holder  in  town  ;  Joseph  Marsh,  who  lived  on  the  place  now 
owned  by  Mr.  Franklin  Burr;  Amos  Frink, whose  house  was 
situated  on  "  Cold-street;"  Abner  Dwelly,  whose  residence 
was  situated  on  the  east  side  of  the  road  which  leads  from 
Capt.  Clark's  to  the  church;  Jeremiah  Kinne,  who  resided 
where  Mr.  Calvin  Tower  now  lives;  Stephen  and  Davis  Con- 
verse, who  resided  on  the  "Elijah  Higgins  place;"  Phinehas 
Herrick,  who  resided  near  where  Mr.  Amasa  Briggs  now  lives; 
Joseph  Pettingell,  and  Joshua  Phillips,  who  lived  opposite  to 
him,  resided  on  the  north  side  of  the  road,  passing  by  Mr. 
John  Colt's;  Gersham  Bandall,  who  resided  where  Mr.  Jona- 
than Prentice  now  resides ;  Daniel  Gates,  who  lived  near  the 
place  of  Abner  Dwelly  ;  Asa  Cotrell,  who  resided  on  the  place 
now  owned  by  Capt.  Pandall ;  Asa  Burton,  whose  house 
stood  where  that  of  Mr.  Dwight  Perry  now  stands ;  Zepha- 
niah  Hatch,  who  lived  on  the  place  now  owned  by  Mr.  I^oah 
Hatch ;  i^athan  Branch,  who  occupied  the  place  where  Mr. 
Morgan  Hall  resides;  John  Buck,  whose  house  stood  on  the 
ground  lately  occupied  by  that  of  Capt.  Eing;  Timothy  Meech, 
who  resided  on  Mr.  Wm.  Colt's  place;  Samuel  Crosby,  who 
lived  where  Col.  Stone  now  lives;  Daniel  Morse  and  Daniel 
Morse,  Jr.,  who  resided   on    the   faims_now  owned    by  Mr. 


TOWN   OF   WORTHINGTON.  11 

Azariah  Parsons  and  Mr.  Silas  Marble ;  John  Skiff,  who 
lived  on  the  spot  of  ground  now  occupied  by  the  dwelling- 
house  of  Mr.  Horace  Cole  ;  James  Benjamin,  who  lived  on 
the  farm  now  owned  by  Mr.  Ira  Johnson ;  Beriah  Curtis, 
whose  dwelling  stood  near  the  ground  now  occupied  by  the 
house  of  Mr.  Alden  Curtis ;  Jonathan  Prentice,  who  lived  on 
the  "  Cushman  place;"  Samuel  Morse,  who  resided  near  the 
ground  now  occupied  by  the  dwelling  of  Capt.  James  Bisbee ; 
James  Wybourn  and  Israel  Iloton,  who  lived  nearly  opposite 
to  each  other,  on  the  road  which  passes,  on  the  north,  the 
house  of  Mr.  John  Adams,  near  the  plot  of  ground  now  called 
"The  Vineyard;"  Col.  Ebenezer  Webber,  who  owned  the 
place  now  called  the  Widow  Cole  farm ;  Samuel,  Robert  and 
Amos  Ba}^  who  resided  on  the  spot  of  ground  now  occupied 
by  the  dwelling-house  of  Mr.  Elijah  Brury ;  Joseph  and  Isaac 
Follett,  who  lived  where  Mr.  Abraham  Brake  now  resides  ; 
Stephen  Fitch,  who  resided  nearly  opposite  to  the  dwelling 
now  owned  by  Capt.  Cyrus  Robinson ;  Ezra  Cleaveland,  who 
lived  on  the  south  side  of  the  road  in  a  house  situated  in  an 
angle  of  a  lot,  north  of  the  dwelling  now  occupied  by  Mr. 
Harvey  Bewey ;  Samuel  Buck,  who  owned  the  farm,  and 
erected  the  house  in  the  year  of  1T80,  now  occupied  by  Mr.  Silas 
Robinson  ;  Edmund  Pettingell,  who  resided  on  the  farm  now 
owned  by  Mr.  Wm.  Cole ;  James  and  John  Kelly,  whose  house 
was  situated  where  that  of  Capt.  Kelly  now  stands ;  Isaac  Her- 
rick,  who  resided  a  short  distance  south  of  the  school-house, 
in  Mr.  Alden  Curtis'  district;  Joseph  Prentice,  who  lived  on 
the  place  now  owned  by  Mr.  Alpheus  Prentice ;  John  Par- 
tridge, whose  house  stood  nearly  one  hundred  rods  north  of 
Mr.  Wm.  Leonard's,  on  the  west  side  of  the  road ;  Seth  Syl- 
vester, who  lived  a  short  distance  south  of  the  dwelling-house 
lately  owned  by  Capt.  Ring ;  Amos  Leonard,  who  owned  the 
farm  now  occupied  by  Mr.  Amos  Cole  ;  Elijah  Gardner,  whose 
house  stood  nearly  west  of  Ring's  factory;  Joseph  Bewey, 
who  lived  in  a  house  west  of  the  "Buffington  Grove  "  (the  land 
where  it  stood  is  now  owned  by  Mr.  Horace  Cole) ;  Luke 
Boney  and  Bavid  Brunson,  who  lived  in  a  house  that  formerly 
stood  in  Capt.  Buck's  orchard — they  were  the  first  millers 
who  came  into  town ;  Asa  Spaulding,  who  owned  the  farm 
now  owned  by  Capt.  Jeremiah  Phillips ;  Hezekiah  Maheuren, 


12  SECULAR   HISTORY   OF   THE 

who  resided  east  of  a  grove  now  owned  by  Col.  "Wm.Eice; 
John  Howard,  who  occupied  the  place  now  owned  by  Mr.  Mer- 
rick Cole;  Thomas  Hall,  who  lived  west  of  Col.  Oren  Stone's, 
on  the  farm  formerly  owned  by  Mr.  Wm.  Meech  ;  Joseph  Gard- 
ner, who  resided  opposite  to  the  dwelling-house  now  occupied 
by  Mr.  Morris  Parsons;  Miner  Oliver  and  Capt.  Constant 
Webster,  who  lived  near  where  Mr.  Hiram  Bartlett  now  lives  ; 
Joseph  Geer,  who  resided  where  the  late  Mr.  William  Parish 
lived ;  Samuel  Tower,  whose  house  stood  a  few  rods  west  of 
the  old  church,  by  Mr.  Watts' ;  Nathaniel  Collins,  who  resided 
a  short  distance  south  of  the  house  of  Mr.  Isaac  Herrick,  men- 
tioned above ;  Eeuben  Adams,  who  owned  the  second  saw- 
mill and  the  second  grist-mill  built  in  town,  which  were  situ- 
ated near  Pingville  ;  John  Drury,  who  lived  on  what  is  now 
called  the  Drury  place  ;  Mathew  Finton,  whose  house  stood 
a  few  rods  east  of  the  spot  of  ground  now  occupied  by  the 
dwelling-house  of  Mr.  Granville  B.  Hall;  James  Bemis,  who 
resided  on  the  place  now  known  as  "  The  Widow  Granger 
farm ;"  Moses  Buck,  who  resided  with  Mr.  John  Buck,  spoken 
of  before ;  Thomas  Buck,  who  lived  on  the  farm  now  owned 
by  Mr.  John  Coit;  Samuel  Petiugell,  whose  house  stood  on  a 
lot  now  owned  by  Mr.  William  Cole,  and  nearly  south-east  of 
Mr.  I^athaniel  Eager's  residence ;  Noah  Morse,  who  resided 
on  the  farm  now  owned  by  Mr.  Milton  Adams ;  Nehemiah 
Proughty,  whose  house  stood  on  the  ground  now  occupied  by 
that  of  Mr.  Ezekiel  Tower ;  Seth  Porter,  who  lived  on  the 
farm  now  owned  by  Mr.  Jacob  Porter ;  Stephen  Howard, 
whose  house  stood  near  the  spot  of  ground  now  occupied  by 
that  of  Mr.  William  H.  Bates ;  Mr.  Hickbey,  who  lived  in  the 
south  part  of  the  town,  near  where  the  Methodist  church  now 
stands ;  Elihu  Tinker,  who  resided  where  the  late  Mr.  John 
Tinker  lived. 

In  addition  to  the  above-named  persons,  there  were  living  in 
town,  at  or  near  the  time  of  its  settlement,  the  following  indi- 
viduals, whose  places  of  residence  we  have  been  unable  to  as- 
certain : 

Wm.  Burr,  Thomas  Butler, 

Jonas  Bellows,  Simeon  Lee, 

Jonathan  Eames,  Samuel  Taylor, 

Mr.  WiLKiNS,  Samuel  Clay, 


TOWN   OF   WOKTHINGTON.  13 

Mr.  EiCE,  Nathan  Morgan, 

Mr.'  Ford,  Lewis  Church, 

Samuel  Wilcox,  John  Ross, 

EuFus  Stone,  James  Tomson, 

Moses  Ashley,  Lewis  Porter, 

Joseph  French,  Moses  Porter, 

Samuel  Converse,  Joseph  Lee, 
Alexander  Chillson. 

,  It  seems,  from  the  large  number  of  the  first  inhabitants, 
that  the  settlement  of  the  town  was  rapid  from  its  commence- 
ment; and,  from  the  town  record,  it  also  appears,  that  the 
population  steadily  increased  for  a  number  of  years,  so  that, 
before  the  close  of  the  last  century,  there  were  more  persons 
living  in  town  than  at  the  present  time. 

The  early  inhabitants  of  Worthington  were  men  whose  char- 
acters were  formed  in  that  severe  school  of  discipline,  where 
the  patient  and  cheerful  endurance  of  hardships  and  trials  was 
taught  to  be  a  virtue.  Commencing  their  manhood  at  a  time 
when  the  whole  energy  and  valor  of  the  New  England  Col- 
onies were  demanded  to  resist  the  encroachments  of  the 
French  and  their  Indian  allies,  they  became  brave  and  reso- 
lute men.  Without  the  privileges  of  schools  and  seminaries — 
deprived  of  the  advantages  of  an  early  education— possessing 
but  the  Bible  and  the  spelling-book,  they  yet  excelled  the 
present  generation  in  that  practical  learning  which  unites  pru- 
dence with  resolution  and  wisdom  with  goodness.  They 
were  men  of  strong  minds,  acute  discernment  and  unerring 
judgment.  When  they  arose  to  speak  on  any  subject,  in 
church  or  town  meeting,  they  expressed  themselves  with  the 
greatest  firmness  and  perspicuity.  Well  acquainted  with  the 
political  affairs  of  the  colonies,  they  hesitated  to  act  upon 
none  of  the  various  questions  brought  before  the  town. 
While  they  warned  their  town  meetings,  in  his  Majesty's 
name,  they  discussed  our  relations  with  Great  Britain  with 
unhesitating  boldness.  They  voted  that  they  would  keep 
''good  regulations  under  his  Majesty's  reign,"  but  at  the  same 
time  they  voted  a  supply  of  powder  and  balls  for  the  use  of 
the  town.  In  liberally  raising  money  for  defraying  the  ex- 
penses of  the   army — in   the   number  of  men  they  promptly 


14  SECULAR    HISTORY   OF   THE 

sent  to  the  war,  and  cheerfully  supported  during  its  cam- 
paigns— in  the  amount  of  clothing  with  which  they  generously 
supplied  the  wants  of  the  soldiers — they  were  unrivaled  by 
any  town  on  the  mountains.  Feeling  a  want  of  that  educa- 
tion, which  circumstances  had  denied  to  them,  they  took  the 
earliest  opportunity  to  found  schools,  and  to  raise  money  to 
defray  their  expense.  Believing  in  the  doctrine  of  the  same 
religion,  they,  like  their  descendants,  with  commendable  una- 
nimity, always  steadily  and  zeal o,u sly  supported  the  preaching 
of  the  gospel.  Such  are  some  of  the  peculiar  traits  that 
marked  the  characters  of  the  first  settlers  of  this  town.  Leav- 
ing a  climate  much  milder  than  that  of  the  mountains  to 
which  they  had  removed — arriving  here,  as  many  of  them  did, 
at  the  commeucement  of  one  of  our  severe  winters,  with  their 
wives  and  their  children,  after  a  journey  of  ten  and  twelve 
days  on  horseback,  guided  only  by  the  marks  on  the  trees — 
sleeping  in  log  houses,  hastily  prepared,  or,  as  was  often  the 
case,  upon  the  ground — deprived  of  nearly  all  of  those  com- 
forts and  luxuries  of  life,  in  which  their  eastern  homes  had 
commenced  to  abound— procuring  their  food  from  the  forest 
and  their  water  from  the  brooks — without  chairs,  without  ta- 
bles, without  anything,  save  a  small  quantity  of  food,  brought 
with  them  for  their  present  subsistence — did  the  first  inhabi- 
tants of  the  town,  eighty-nine  years  ago,  commence  the  set- 
tlement of  Worthington. 


CHAPTER  II. 

INCORPOIIATION    OF    THE    TOWN,    ROADS,    ETC. 

During  the  session  of  the  Provincial  Congress  of  Massa- 
chusetts, in  1768,  a  bill  was  passed  for  "  creating  the  'New 
Plantation,  called  l^umber  Three,  in  the  county  of  Hamp- 
shire, into  a  town  by  the  name  of  Worthington."  The  limits 
of  the  town,  as  recognized  by  this  bill,  extended  at  that  time 
from  the  Partridgefield  line  on  the  west  to  the  north  branch 
of  the  Westfield  river  on  the  east ;  while  the  northern  and 
southern  boundaries  were  defined  nearly  the  same  as  they  re- 


TOWN    OF   WORTHTNGTON.  15 

main  at  the  present  day.  In  purscance  of  this  act  of  Congress, 
lion.  Israel  Williams,  who  had  been  empowered  by  the  Gen- 
eral Court  to  call  a  meeting  of  the  inhabitants  of  this  town, 
issued  the  following  warrant:  "These  are,  therefore,  in  his 
Majesty's  name,  to  require  you,  ITathan  Leonard,  to  notify  and 
warn  the  inhabitants  of  Worthington,  tbat  they  assemble  to- 
gether at  the  house  of  Alexander  Miller,  innholder  in  said 
town,  on  the  first  Monday  in  August  next,  at  ten  of  the  clock 
in  the  forenoon,  then  and  there  in  public  meeting  to  choose 
all  such  officers,  as  towns  within  tb^s  province  are  impowercd 
and  enabled  by  law  to  choose  in  the  month  of  March  an- 
nually. Hereof,  you  Nathan  may  not  fail.  Given  under  my 
hand  and  seal,  at  Hatfield  in  Hampshire  county,  this  eleventh 
day  of  July,  in  the  eighth  year  of  his  Majestie's  reign,  anno 
Domini  1769.* 

IsEAEL  "Williams,  Jus.  Pads.'' 

By  virtue  of  the  above  warrant,  the  freeholders  and  other 
inhabitants  of  the  town  met  at  the  inn  of  Alexander  Miller, 
on  Monday,  the  first  day  of  August,  and  chose  Captain  Na- 
than Leonard,  Moderator ;  Mr.  Nahum  Eager,  Town  Clerk ; 
Captain  Nathaniel  Daniels,  Captain  Nathan  Leonard,  and  Mr. 
John  Kinne,  Selectmen;  Mx.  Benjamin  Biglow  and  Mr. 
Thomas  Kinne,  Wardens;  Mr.  Thomas  Clemmons,  Constable 
and-Leather  Sealer;  Mr.  Samuel  Clapp  and  Dr.  Moses  Morse, 
Surveyors  of  Highways ;  Mr.  Nahum  Eager  and  Mr.  Ephraim 
Wheeler,  Fence  Viewers;  Mr.  John  Watts,  Tithingman. 
These  were  the  first  officers  chosen  by  the  town.  At  a  subse- 
quent meeting,  Amos  Erink  and  Ebenezer  Webber  were  cho- 
sen Deer-reeves.  The  business  of  the  town,  for  the  first  two 
years  after  its  incorporation,  consisted  principally  in  survey- 
ing and  laying  out  roads. 

Among  the  first  of  the  roads  that  were  thus  surveyed  by  the 
town,  was  one  which,  in  the  fertile  imaginations  of  the  select- 
men, was  called  "  The  direct  road  through  Worthington  to 
Boston  and  Albany."  This  road  was  laid  out,  so  as  to  con- 
nect with  the  Chesterfield  road,  at  the  "  Gate,"  and,  running 
west,  to  lead  by  the  farms  now  owned  by  Mr.  Harrington  and 

*  This  date  is  doubtless  wrong,  since  the  eiglitli  year  of  liis  Majesty's  reign  would 
have  taken  place  in  1768,  having  commenced  on  the  25th  of  October,  1760. 


16  SECULAR   HISTORY   OF   THE 

Mr.  Drury,  till  it  reached  the  "  Buffington  place,"  where  stood, 
at  that  time,  the  inu  of  Alexander  Miller.     From  this  place,  it 
was  laid  out  directly  north,  till  it  passed  the  house  of  Mr.  Til- 
son  Bartlett,  and  then  it  was  continued  north  and  west,  pass- 
ing through  a  part  of  Peru  and  Windsor,  till  it  intersected  a 
road  which  led  more  directly  to  Pittsfield.     Subsequently  this 
road  was  changed,  so  as  to  lead  directly  to  the  inn  of  Capt. 
I^athaniel  Daniels   from  ''  The  Corners."     This  change  was 
made  by  the  town,  so  as  to  prevent  any  travel  by  the  house  of 
Alexander  Miller,  who  favored  the  cause  of  Great  Britain,  and 
to   secure   the   same  to  Capt.  E'athaniel  Daniels,  who  was  a 
zealous  patriot.     In  after  years,  "  to  make  the  road  more  straight 
and  direct,"  the  town  laid  it  out  over  what  is  now  called  Snake 
Hill.     The   second  road  of  importance  which  the  town  sur- 
veyed led  from  Cummington  to  Chester.     This  road  extended 
through  Cold-street,  and  passed  the  inn  of  Captain  Daniels 
and  the  Buffington  place,  till  it  intersected  a  road  near  where 
Mr.  Alden  Curtis  now  lives  ;  and  from  there  crossed  directly 
to  Middle   river,  where   it   continued  on  the   banks  of  that 
stream  till  it  reached  Chester.     During  these  two  years,  the 
town  laid  out  and  surveyed  twelve  cross-roads,  all  of  which, 
except  two,  have  become  obsolete,  as  it  regards  travel.    On  the 
17th  of  April,  1770,  the  town  voted  to  raise  "£45  for  repair- 
ing the  highways,  and  to  pay  for  men's  labor  on  the  road,  3s 
per  day,  for  that  of  a  yoke  of  oxen.  Is  and  6d,  for  use  of  a 
plow,  8d."     Previous  to  the  year  1768,  there  was  scarcely  a 
road  in  town  ;  all  journeys,  at  that  time,  were  performed  over 
trails,  or  paths  marked   by  cut  or   girdled  trees.     To  go  to 
Northampton  and  back,  w^ithout  infringing  on  the  sacredness 
of  either  of  the  Sabbaths  that  bound  the  week,  was  considered 
by  the  farmers  as  a  recommendation  for  the  speed  and  endur- 
ance of  their   horses.      A  journey  to  Boston,  or  to  Albany, 
was  prefaced  by  the  prayers  of  the  church,  and  the  safe  return 
of  the  individual  who  hazarded  it,  was  the  cause  of  thanks- 
giving and  public  rejoicing.     Quilting,  at  that  time,  as  now, 
was   one  of  the   practical  amusements  of  the  ladies  in  town ; 
but   the   preparations  which   preceded  a  quilting  party  were 
much  more   extensive  than  at  present,  on  account  of  the  dis- 
tance from  which  the  inhabitants  lived  from  each  other,  and 
the  almost  impassable  state  of  the  roads  or  paths.     To  attend 


TOWN    OF   WORTHINGTON.  17 

a  "  quilting  "  at  the  more  distant  parts  of  the  town,  as  it  was 
the  practice  then,  was  an  absence  from  home  of  no  less  than 
three  clays  ;  the  first  of  which  was  spent  in  going,  the  second 
in  quilting,  and  the  third  was  consumed  in  returning.  A 
mother,  before  starting  on  one  of  these  expeditions,  was  obliged 
to  bake  a  sufl3.cient  supply  for  the  family  at  home  ;  and  if  she 
was  so  fortunate,  or  unfortunate,  as  to  have  the  care  of  an  in- 
fant, she  was  under  the  necessity  of  putting  it  out  with  the 
neighbors,  to  be  nursed,  till  she  should  return. 

The  town,  through  its  clerk,  commenced  in  1769  to  publish 
the  bans  of  matrimony.  The  following  is  copied  from  among 
the  earliest  recorded : 

"  These  may  certify  to  whom  it  may  concern  that  the  bands 
of  matrimony  have  been  published  as  the  law  directs  between 
John  Leonard  of  Preston  in  the  Colony  of  Connecticut  and 
County  of  New  London  and  Sarah  Pierce  of  Worthington. 
Attest :  Nahum  Eager, 

Town   Clerk. 

WoRTHiNGTON  April  QtJi  1770." 

Preceding  the  action  which  the  town  took  in  regard  to  the 
Revolutionary  War,  it  chose  a  committee,  in  accordance  with 
an  act  of  the  General  Court,  for  the  Massachusetts  Bay,  to 
prevent  oppression  and  monopoly,  in  consequence  of  the  effect 
of  the  non-importation  act.  This  committee  fixed  the  follow- 
ing prices  to  labor,  and  all  the  articles  of  merchandise  bought 
and  sold  in  town  : 

£.  s.  d. 

Men's  labor  in  time  of  harvest  and  haying,  per  day, 0  3  0 

At  other  seasons  in  the  summer,  "      "     0  2  8 

In  the  fall  and  winter,  "      "     0  2  0 

Women's  labor,  per  week, 0  3  0 

Wheat,  per  bush., 0  6  0 

Rye,  "        "     0  4  0 

Indian  Corn,  "        "     0  3  0 

Peas,  "        "     0  6  0 

White  beans,  "        "     0  6  0 

Oats,  "         "     0  1  8 

Spanish  potatoes,  "         "     0  1  0 

Wool,  per  pound, 0  2  0 

Flax,  "        *'     0  1  0 

Grass  fed  beef,  "         "     0  0  2-2 

Stall    "      "  "        "     0  0  3-2 

Pork,  "        "     0  0  3-3 

3 


18  SECULAR   HISTORY   OF    THE 

£.    s.    d. 

Cheese,                                                             per  pound 0  0  50 

Butter,                                                                    "         "     0  0  8  0 

Stockings,  good  wool,                                                           0  6  00 

Shoes,  calf  skin,                                                                 0  8  00 

Pork,  barrels  containing  eleven  score  per  bbl                 4  0  0  0 

Beef,        "            "            twelve        "                              3  2  6  0 

Tow  cloth,                                                           per  yard, 0  0  2-3 

Flannel,                                                                 "      "     0  3  6  0 

Horse  keeping  for  twenty-four  hours,                               0  0  10  0 

Ox             "                "                    "                                   0  140 

English  hay  out  of  the  field  in  summer,           per  ton, 1  4  00 

Out  of  the  stack  in  winter,                                  ' "      "     110  0  0 

Out  of  the  barn  in  spring,                                   "      "     1  15  0  0 

Salt,                                                                     per  bush., 14  00 

N.  E.  Rum  by  the  hogshead,                           per  gall., 0  4  10  0 

"                  "        single  gallon,                                     0  5  60 

"                  "        single  quart,                                       0  1  60 

West  India  rum,  by  hogshead,                           "      "     0  7  8  0 

by  single  gallon,                    "       "     0  8  6  0 

Sugar,  by  hogshead,                                   per  hundred, 3  4  0  0 

"        by  single  pound,                                                    0  0  90 


CHAPTER  III 


THE  PART  WHICH  THE  TOWN  TOOK  IN  THE  REVOLUTIONARY  WAR, 
TOGETHER  WITH  A  LIST  OF  THE  NAMES  OF  THE  SOLDIERS  IN 
THE    WAR    OF    1812. 

Nearly  a  year  before  the  first  battles  of  the  Eevolution  at 
Lexington  and  Concord,  the  inhabitants  of  this  tow^n  were 
taking  an  earnest  interest  in  regard  to  the  political  relations  of 
the  colonies  with  Great  Britain.  In  the  spring  of  1774,  the 
British  government,  in  a  spirit  of  revenge  upon  Massachusetts, 
and  especially  on  Boston,  for  the  determined  spirit  with  which 
the  town  had  refused  to  submit  to  the  payment  of  a  duty  upon 
tea,  passed  a  bill,  by  which  the  citizens  of  Boston  were  denied 
the  privilege  of  landing  or  shipping  goods.  To  carry  this  bill 
into  effect,  the  government  of  Great  Britain  took  possession 
of  the  port  of  Boston.  The  intelligence  of  these  proceedings 
aroused  the  inhabitants  of  this  town  to  the  greatest  degree  of 
excitement,  and  called  out  the  following  preamble  and  war- 
rant: 

"  Whereas  a  number  of  the    inhabitants   of  Worthington 


TOWN    OF   WORTHINGTON.  19 

have  desired  a  town  meeting  to  be  warned,  for  the  purpose  of 
taking  into  consideration  the  alarming  circumstances  of  the 
times,  in  regard  to  the  trade  and  commerce  of  the  town  of 
Boston,  and  the  towns  of  America  in  general — to  the  consta- 
ble of  the  town  of  Worthington,  greeting  in  his  Majesty's 
name.  You  are  hereby  required  forthwith  to  warn  all  the  in- 
habitants of  the  town  of  Worthington,  that  they  meet  at  the 
Meeting-house,  in  said  town,  on  Tuesday  the  28th  day  of 
June,  1774,  at  two  of  the  clock  in  the  afternoon,  then  and 
there  to  act  on  the  following  articles :  Firstly,  to  choose  a 
moderator ;  secondly,  to  hear  the  letters  read  sent  from  the 
committee  of  correspondence  at  Boston  ;  thirdly,  to  say  in 
what,  since  you  would  be  understood  in  favor  of  the  inhabi- 
tants of  Boston  ;  fourthly,  to  say  if  you  will  do  anything  for 
the  relief  or  encouragement  of  the  town  of  Boston." 

Pursuant  to  the  above  w^arrant,  the  town  met,  and  chose 
Capt.  Ebenezer  Leonard  as  Chairman,  and  ]^athan  Leonard, 
Nahum  Eager,  Nathaniel  Daniels,  Thomas  Kinne  and  Moses 
Morse,  a  committee  of  correspondence.  This  committee  of 
correspondence  immediately  communicated  with  the  commit- 
tee of  safety  at  Boston,  promising  the  zealous  co-operation  of 
the  town  for  their  encouragement,  and  all  the  means  in  their 
power  for  their  relief.  The  threatening  state  of  affairs,  and 
the  earnest  correspondence  of  the  committee  of  safety  at  Bos- 
ton, caused  the  selectmen,  a  few  weeks  after  the  above  men- 
tioned meeting,  to  issue  a  warrant,  calling  upon  all  of  the  in- 
habitants of  the  town  who  were  soldiers,  and  all  who  were 
obliged  to  keep  arms,  to  assemble  at  the  meeting-house  for 
the  purpose  of  choosing  military  officers. 

On  the  opening  of  the  campaign  of  1777,*  a  number  of  the 
young  men  of  the  town,  without  arms  or  ammunition,  offered 
to  join  the  army  of  Washington,  at  Morristown,  N.  J.  The 
town,  thereupon,  voted  that  "  The  selectmen  shall  be  empow- 
ered to  draw  powder  and  arms,  for  any  person  or  persons  that 
shall  apply  for  the  same,  and  to  send  money  to  purchase  the 

*  The  action  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  town,  during  the  following  years,  from  1774 
to  1777,  in  regard  to  the  war,  has  no  record.  The  probable  reason  for  this  omission, 
for  so  long  a  period,  is  the  fact,  that  in  the  early  campaigns,  most  of  the  soldiers 
from  the  mountain  towns  voluntarily  joined  the  army ;  and  no  record  but  that  of 
town  business,  has  been  preserved. 


20  SECULAR   HISTORY    OF   THE 

same,  agreeable  to  a  resolve  of  the  General  Assembly  of  this 
State ;"  at  the  same  time,  the  town  voted  that  a  petition  should 
be  presented  to  the  General  Assembly,  to  have  a  store  of 
blankets,  to  draw  out  of,  when  needed  upon  an  emergency, 
for  the  town.  In  1778,  the  want  of  shoes  and  clothing  in  the 
arni}^  called  upon  the  sympathy  and  patriotism  of  the  State 
of  Massachusetts,  for  its  relief.  Worthington  generously  re- 
sponded to  a  part  of  this  demand,  by  raising  X120  for  the  suf- 
fering soldiers.  On  the  3d  of  JSTovember,  1779,  the  town  voted 
to  raise  £600,  as  a  tax,  to  pay  for  twelve  blankets,  and  boun- 
ties for  the  soldiers  last  raised.  The  number  of  soldiers  that 
the  town  raised  this  year  was  twelve,  six  to  serve  six  months, 
and  the  remainder  twelve  months.  On  the  3d  of  June,  1780, 
the  town  voted  .£200  as  a  bounty  to  each  soldier,  and  three 
pounds  per  month  in  addition,  valuing  the  Continental  money 
in  wheat  at  five  shillings,  rye  at  three  shillings,  and  corn  at 
two  shillings  and  sixpence  per  bushel.  In  July,  1780,  the 
town  voted  that  each  of  the  soldiers  raised  by  the  town  should 
have  X150  as  bounty,  to  be  paid  to  them  in  two  months  from 
the  above  date.  During  this  year,  the  cavalry  became  so  re- 
duced in  the  army,  that  Congress  was  obliged  to  call  upon  the 
States  for  a  supply  of  horses.  The  requisition  of  the  State  of 
Massachusetts,  upon  the  town  of  Worthington,  was  for  so 
great  a  number  of  horses,  that  the  town  was  obliged  to  pass 
the  following  resolve:  "Voted,  that  the  town  will  give  se- 
curity on  the  town,  if  they  can  not  provide  the  horses  sent  for, 
at  the  stated  price." 

The  wants  of  the  army,  at  the  close  of  the  campaign  of  1779, 
again  aroused  the  sympathies  of  the  country  for  its  relief. 
Early  in  the  spring  of  1780,  the  General  Assembly  for  the 
State  of  Massachusetts  passed  a  bill,  requiring  each  town  to 
raise,  by  tax,  a  certain  amount  for  the  purchase  of  clothing 
for  the  army.  In  accordance  with  this  act  the  town  voted  to 
raise  £2,130  for  supplying  the  army  with  the  clothing  required. 
During  the  same  year,  the  town  raised  £5,000,'^  to  supply,  in 

*  Bills  of  credit  were  first  issued  by  Congress,  in  June,  1775,  to  the  amount  of  two 
millions  of  dollars.  At  the  expiration  of  eighteen  months,  twenty  millions  had  been 
issued.  By  the  year  1780,  the  amount  in  circulation  was  two  hundred  millions.  At 
an  early  period,  these  bills  began  to  depreciate,  and  continued  to  do  so  till  their  cir- 
culation was  limited  by  Congress,  in  1780. 


TOWN    OF    WORTHINGTON.  21 

part,  the  army  with  beef,  as  required  by  an  act  of  the  General 
Assembly,  passed  on  the  25th  of  September,  1780.  In  May, 
1781,  a  committee  from  Congress  visited  the  army,  and  became 
more  thoroughly  acquainted  with  its  distress  and  destitution. 
They  reported  to  Congress,  soon  afterwards,  the  situation  of 
the  army,  in  the  following  words,  viz  :  "  That  the  army  was 
unpaid  for  iive  mouths ;  that  it  seldom  had  more  than  six 
days'  provisions  in  advance,  and  was,  on  several  occasions, 
for  sundry  successive  days,  without  meat;  that  the  medical 
department  had  neither  sugar,  tea,  coflee,  chocolate,  wine  nor 
spirituous  liquors  of  any  kind;  and  that  every  department  of 
the  army  was  without  money,  and  had  not  even  the  shadow 
of  credit  left." 

What  eflect  this  report  had  on  the  inhabitants  of  this  town, 
may  be  seen  in  their  patriotic  action.  Daring  this  year,  the 
town  raised  fifteen  men  to  serve  in  the  Continental  army,  for 
three  years,  granting  each  one  forty  shillings  advance  pay, 
and  four  pounds  per  month,  and  also  sent  four  thousand 
weight  of  beef  to  supply,  in  part,  the  wants  of  the  army. 

The  trials  and  hardships  which  the  majority  of  the  families 
in  town  endured,  during  the  war,  will  scarcely  be  credited  by 
the  present  generation.  Happy  in  the  freedom  which  had 
been  won,  and  joyful  at  the  return  of  peace,  too  seldom  did 
the  mothers  and  sisters  of  the  soldiers  who  went  from  this 
town  recite  their  sufferings  to  their  descendants,  for  us  at  the 
present  day  fully  to  understand,  and  appreciate  their  self- 
denials  and  sacrifices.  The  females  of  man}^  families  worked 
on  the  farms  of  their  husbands  and  brothers,  during  the  greater 
part  of  their  absence  in  the  war.  Many  ploughed  their  own 
lauds,  sowed  their  grain,  and  planted  and  hoed  their  corn 
during  the  spring;  in  the  summer  and  fall  gathered  their  hay  and 
harvests ;  in  the  winter  months  fed  and  took  care  of  the  cattle 
in  the  barns,  drove  them  to  the  brooks  for  water,  and  often- 
times yoked  their  oxen,  and  went  to  the  woods  to  cut  the  fuel 
necessary  for  their  use.  So  few  of  the  male  inhabitants,  at 
this  period,  did  patriotism  leave  in  town,  that  at  no  time 
during  the  interval  between  the  years  of  1779  and  1782,  were 
there  above  ten  or  twelve  men,  out  of  over  seventy  fami- 
lies living  in  town,  who  attended  church  on  the  Sabbath.  At 
length,  the  destitution  of  the  families  of  those  persons  who  had 


22  SECULAR    HISTORY    OF    THE 

joined  the  army,  became  so  great,  that  on  the  10th  of  October,. 
1777,  the  General  Court  of  Massachusetts  was  obliged  to  pass 
a  bill,  by  which  each  town  was  required  "  to  appoint  a  com- 
mittee to  supply  the  families  of  the  soldiers  who  were  engaged 
in  the  Continental  army  with  the  necessaries  of  life."  Pursu- 
ant to  this  act,  the  town  of  Worthiugton  appointed  Jonathan 
Brewster,  Moses  Porter  and  William  Burr,  as  a  committee  to 
take  care  of  the  families  of  the  soldiers,  while  engaged  in  ser- 
vice. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  names  of  those  soldiers,  as  far 
as  it  has  been  able  to  be  ascertained,  who  served  in  the  Revo- 
lutionary war.  That  the  list  falls  much  below  the  actual  num- 
ber who  joined  the  army,  there  can  be  but  little  doubt,  since 
many  persons  sent  their  hired  men  to  the  war,  whose  names 
are  not  now  known : 

Samuel  Dewey,  Jeremiah  Kinne,  killed. 

Barnabas  Clapp,  Samuel  Cole,  do. 

Lemuel  Clapp,  Daniel  Goodman, 

Isaac  Clapp,  Gershom  Brown, 

Stephen  Clapp,  John  Howard, 

Gershom  Randall,  David  Woods, 

Samuel  Buffington,  Samuel  Follett,* 

Nathaniel  Daniels,  Jr.,  Jonas  Leonard, 

John  Daniels,  Asa  Cottrell, 

Samuel  Daniels,  Nicholas  Cottrell,         , 

Dan.  Daniels,  Samuel  Petingell, 

Elisha  Brewster,t  Ephraim  Parish, 

Richard  Briggs,  Timothy  Meech, 

*  Samuel  Follett,  who  is  still  living  in  this  town,  was  born  on  the  23d  of  Novem- 
ber, 1757,  in  the  town  of  Attleborough,  Bristol  county,  Mass.  He  joined  the  army 
when  he  was  in  his  eighteenth  year,  where  he  remained  fifteen  months,  serving  in 
the  regiment  commanded  by  Col.  Reed  at  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill.  He  came  into 
this  town  before  the  close  of  the  war,  in  1781,  where  he  has  resided  ever  since. 
His  first  vote  was  cast  for  Gen.  Washington,  for  President  of  the  United  States, 
when  he  was  thirty-two  years  of  age  ;  his  last  for  Gen.  Scott,  when  he  was  ninety- 
six. 

t  Elisha  Brewster  was  born  in  Preston,  Conn.,  on  the  25th  of  February,  1755, 
where  he  resided  until  the  commencement  of  the  Revolutionary  war.  He  early  en- 
listed as  a  volunteer  into  a  regiment  of  light  dragoons,  for  and  during  the  war,  and 
served  to  its  close,  as  an  oflScer  of  the  same,  during  the  period  of  seven  years  and 
six  months. 

His  regiment  was  exercised  in  cavalry  tactics  by  Count  Pulaski,  the  distinguished 


TOWN    OF    WOllTHINGTON. 


23 


Israel  Burr, 
Eoger  Benjamin, 
Thomas  Buck, 
Asa  Jackson, 
Sylvanus  Parsons, 
Moses  Buck, 
Samuel  Kingman, 
Alexander  Kingman, 


Asa  Benjamin, 
John  Stone, 
I^ahum  Eager, 
Lott  Drake, 
Jonathan  Ring, 
Eufus  Marsh, 
Joseph  Marsh,  Jr., 
Joshua  Morse. 


William  Ward, 


Soldiers  of  1812. 

Comviissioned  Officers. 

William  Rice. 


Non-  Commissioned 

Thomas  Hall, 
Joseph  Starkweather, 
N'ehemiah  Tinker, 
Alfred  Brown, 
John  Cushing, 
Henry  Warner, 
Timothy  Parsons, 
David  Parsons, 
Luther  Bartlett, 
Ezekiel  Tower, 
Daniel  Parish, 


Officers  and  Privates, 

James  Hatch, 
Barnabas  An  able, 
Perkins  Fitch, 
Milton  Brewster, 
William  Brewster, 
Rufus  Taylor, 
Obadiah  Tower, 
Elijah  Burr, 
Richard  Briggs, 
Joseph  Daily, 
Harvey  Metcalf, 


Poland  disciplinarian,  who  first  introduced  cavalry  tactics  in  this  country.  After  the 
close  of  the  war,  he  served  as  Captain  of  cavalry  and  Brigade  Quarter-master. 

At  the  time  of  Shay's  Insurrection,  he  volunteered  his  services  to  General  Shep- 
ard,  at  Springfield,  and  was  appointed  one  of  his  aids,  on  that  memorable  occasion. 
Subsequently,  he  was  employed  by  Government  to  take  the  oaths  of  the  insurgents 
for  their  allegiance  to  the  Commonwealth. 

He  held  various  offices  of  trust  in  town,  and  was  chosen  to  represent  its  interests 
in  the  General  Court,  in  1806.  Joined  to  the  great  exposure  and  suflTering  which 
he  experienced  in  the  army,  was  a  slender  constitution,  which,  in  the  latter  pe- 
riod of  his  life,  so  enfeebled  his  health,  that  he  was  unable  to  take  an  active  part  in 
the  affairs  of  the  town. 

While  in  the  army,  he  experienced  many  hard  fought  battles,  always  charging 
into  the  very  midst  of  the  contest,  with  an  impetuosity  and  courage  which  no  pru- 
dence could  restrain.  He  was  a  fine  looking  officer,  and  in  daring  and  horseman- 
ship no  one  excelled  him  in  the  array.  As  a  civilian,  he  retained  that  dignity  and 
courtesy  which  so  often  mark  the  officers  of  the  army,  and  always  bore  with  him, 
in  the  intercourse  with  his  fellow-men,  that  affiibility  and  gentlemanly  feeling,  which 
so  eminently  characterized  his  younger  brother,  Mr.  Jonah  Brewster.  He  died  on 
the  25th  of  September,  1833. 


24  SECULAR   HISTORY    OF   THE 


CHAPTER  lY. 

CHURCHES,    PUBLIC    LANDS,    ETC. 

The  original  proprietors  of  the  town,  to  encourage  the  rapid 
settlement  of  the  plantation,  erected  a  church,  in  the  year  of 
1764,  near  the  spot  of  ground  occupied  by  the  house  of  the 
late  Mr.  John  Watts.  The  immediate  district  surrounding 
the  church,  at  this  time,  was  an  unbroken  wiklerness.  A  few 
years  subsequent  to  the  above  date,  the  inhabitants  of  the  town 
assembled  together,  and  agreed,  "  that  every  male  person  living 
in  the  plantation,  of  sixteen  years  of  age  and  upwards,  should 
spend  one  day  in  cutting  and  clearing  away  the  forest  about 
the  meeting-house."  The  church  was  but  partially  finished, 
internally,  by  Mr.  Worthington,  but  it  appears  that  the  town 
worshiped  in  it,  nevertheless,  with  all  of  its  inconveniences, 
till  the  year  of  1780,  when  it  was  remodeled,  but  not  entirely 
finished.  Previous  to  the  time  stated  above,  the  church  had 
no  pulpit,  but  a  temporary  stage  erected  in  its  stead.  The 
seats  for  the  congregation  were  composed  of  benches,  made 
from  boards  nailed  to  movable  supports.  The  aged  part  of 
the  congregation,  brought  chairs  with  them,  for  their  own 
ease  and  comfort  during  the  service.  On  the  29th  of  March, 
1780,  the  town  voted  to  build  a  pulpit,  two  deacons'  seats, 
four  seats  on  each  side  of  the  broad  aisle,  and  also  to  lay  the 
gallery  fioor  and  stairs.  The  remaining  pew  locations  were 
drawn  by  lot,  on  the  following  conditions  :  That  the  pews 
"  should  be  finished  at  a  stated  time,  and  that  each  one  should 
finish  the  back,  up  to  the  gallery  girt."  In  May,  1791,  the 
unfinished  state  of  the  church,  inside,  aroused  the  public 
spirit,  and  called  together  the  inhabitants  of  the  town,  when 
they  passed  the  following  resolutions  :  "  Voted,  to  have  the 
Meeting-house  taken  down — moved — erected,  and  every  way 
finished,  by  the  1st  day  of  December,  in  the  year  1792,  and 
that  the  whole  expense,  accruing  therefrom,  shall  be  paid  by 
the  inhabitants  of  the  town,  by  the  first  day  of  December, 
aforesaid,  in  the  following  articles,  viz  :  one-fourth  part  to  be 
paid  in  cash,  and  the  remainder  to  be  paid  in  good  neat  cattle, 
or  Indian  corn,  or  rye,  or  flax,  or  beef,  or  pork."     At  a  sub- 


TOWN    OF    WORTHINGTON.  25 

sequent  meeting,  the  town  voted  to  have  all  the  pews  in  the 
meeting-house,  sold  at  public  auction  to  the  highest  bidder. 
The  amount  for  which  these  pews  sold,  was  .£601.  8s,  lawful 
money.  When  the  new  church  was  built,  those  persons  who 
had  paid  for  pews  in  the  old  church,  were  entitled  to  have  the 
amount  deducted  which  they  had  advanced,  in  purchasing  the 
pews  in  the  new  building.  This  church  occupied  part  of 
the  ground  now  lying  between  the  store  of  Messrs.  Sidney 
Brewster  &  Son,  and  the  dwelling-house  of  Mr.  S.  IT.  Par- 
ish. In  the  year  of  1825,  after  a  controversy  too  lengthy  to 
be  recorded,  the  town  voted  to  build  the  church  which  is 
worshiped  in  at  the  present  time. 

Churches  of  the  Methodist  Societies. 

The  Methodist  society  at  the  southern  extremity  of  the 
town,  in  the  year  of  1828,  erected  a  church  by  subscription, 
which  was  worshiped  in  for  twenty  years.  In  the  year  of  1848, 
a  plan  was  drawn  of  a  small  but  neat  and  beautiful  church, 
from  which  the  model  pews  were  sold  to  defray  the  expense 
of  building.  The  new  church  accordingly  was  erected,  and 
dedicated  in  the  following  year.  In  1848,  a  new  society  of  the 
Methodist  denomination  was  formed  in  the  west  part  of  the 
town.  By  the  liberality  of  a  few  individuals,  the  church  in 
which  religious  service  is  now  regularly  performed  was  erected. 
The  church  was  dedicated  in  the  j^ear  of  1849. 

Public  Lands. 

Soon  after  the  purchase  of  this  plantation.  Col.  Worthing- 
ton  made  the  town  a  donation  of  nearly  1200  acres  of  land. 
This  land  was  divided  into  twelve  sections,  and  was  situated 
in  different  parts  of  the  town.  Six  of  these  sections  were 
called  ministerial  lots,  and  the  remainder  school  lots.  The 
object  of  this  donation  was  to  supply  the  town  with  the 
preaching  of  the  gospel,  and  to  defray  the  expenses  of  the 
town  schools  by  the  rent  of  these  lands.  However  generous 
the  gift,  and  noble  the  motives  which  prompted  it,  the  town 
for  a  long  time  realized  little  or  nothing  from  them,  since 
they  remained  uncleared  and  uncultivated.  Four  of  these 
4 


26  SECULAR   HISTORY    OF    THE 

Jots   were   leased  a  few  years  after  the  incorporation  of  the 
town.     The  remaining  eight  were  rented  in  1780. 

The  following  is  a  report  of  the  committee  appointed  to  dis- 
pose of  the  lots : 

WoRTHiNGTON,  December  18th,  1780. 
We,  the  subscribers,  being  a  committee,  chosen  by  the  town  of  Worthing- 
ton  to  dispose  of  the  ministerial  and  school  land  belonging  to  said  town, 
have  given  leases  to  the  following  persons  of  the  land  above  mentioned,  for 
the  terra  of  nine  hundred  and  ninetj-nine  years,  viz  ; 

To  E.  "Williams,  the  school  lot  No.  125  for  the  sura  of  ten  bushels  and  four-fifths  of 
good  wheat,  yearly. 

£.  s.  d. 

To  Daniel  Chapman  school  lot          No.  223  for .57  0  0 

To  Joseph  Marsh            "       "            No.     57    "   160  0  0 

To  Joseph  Brown            "       "            No.  175   "    123  0  0 

To  Edmund  Petingell  Jun,  Min'l  lot  No.  190   ", 100  0  0 

To  Timothy  Meech         "       "            No.     75   "    90  0  0 

To  Samuel  Buck  east  half      "            No.     18   "    55  0  0 

To  Asham  Fanning  west  half"            No.     18   "    55  0  0 

To  Levi  Flint                   "       "            No.     91    "    66  10  0 

Taken  obligations  of  the  above  cited  persons. 

JOHN  KINNE,  )    Town 

STEPHEN  FITCH,  }  Commit- 

JONATHAN  BREWSTER,  )      tee. 


Common  Schools. 

The  subject  of  education  early  engaged  the  attention  of  the 
town,  and  received  steadily  the  support  and  encouragement  of 
the  law.  Considering  the  district  school-house  as  an  insurance 
building,  where  the  morals  and  the  virtue  of  the  community 
were  exempted  from  all  hazard,  by  the  corruption  which  arises 
from  ignorance,  the  town  at  once,  after  its  incorporation,  paid 
its  premiums  from  its  scanty  means,  and  received  its  policy, 
which  will  run  out  only  with  eternity.  The  pecuniary  em- 
barrassments experienced  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  at 
its  first  settlement,  and  the  active  and  liberal  part  which  they 
took  in  the  war  with  Great  Britain  soon  after,  furnishes  them 
with  a  silent  apology  for  the  limited  allowances  which  at  first 
were  granted  for  the  maintenance  of  common  schools.  When 
we  remember  that,  for  the  first  four  years,  the  expenses  of  the 
town,  though  amounting  to  only  forty  pounds,  were  obliged 
to  be  defrayed  with  borrowed  money ;  when  we  consider  that 


TOWN   OF   WORTHINGTON.  27 

the  State  taxes,  from  the  want  of  hard  money,  were  obliged  to 
be  paid  in  produce ;  when  we  contemplate  the  extreme  low 
price  of  all  kinds  of  labor,  we  are  rather  surprised  at  what 
the  town  done  for  the  support  of  common  schools,  than  at 
what,  in  their  necessity,  they  were  prevented  from  doing.  On 
the  19th  of  March,  17T1,  the  town  voted  to  raise  ten  pounds, 
silver  money,  for  the  support  of  common  schools.  After  the 
close  of  the  war,  this  sum  was  increased,  at  first  to  twenty 
pounds,  and  afterwards  to  thirty ;  till  at  lengtn,  before  the 
close  of  the  last  century,  it  amounted  to  sixty  pounds  an- 
nually. At  the  present  time,  and  for  the  last  ten  years,  the 
town  has  appropriated  a  medial  sum  of  over  $1400,  including 
teachers'  board  and  fuel,  for  the  support  of  common  schools 
annually.  In  1772,  the  town  was  divided  into  five  districts. 
The  limits  of  these  districts,  changing  from  time  to  time  as 
the  population  increased,  which,  together  with  the  addition  of 
new  ones,  makes  it  difiicult  to  trace  their  boundaries  with  any 
accuracy.  In  the  year  of  1833,  the  town  voted  to  choose  a 
committee  of  ten  persons,  one  from  each  district,  to  re-divide 
the  town  into  districts.  This  committee  reported  an  additional 
district,  with  some  alterations  in  the  limits  of  the  old  ones. 
The  first  school-house,  composed  of  logs,  was  erected  in  1773, 
near  the  ground  now  occupied  by  the  dwelling  house  of  Mr. 
John  Adams.  At  the  present  time,  eighty  years  from  the 
above  date,  there  are  ten  district  school-houses  in  town. 
The  Academy. 

Ilium  fuit.* 


CHAPTER  y. 

THE   MINISTRY. 


The  town,  for  the  first  seven  years  after  its  settlement,  was 
supplied  with  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  by  ministers  from 
the  neighboring  towns,  who  were  paid  for  their  services  by 

*  When  the  Romans  looked  back  with  pride  at  one  moment  to   the   glory   of 
Troy,  and  at  the  next  with  grief  to  its  destruction  by  the  Greeks,  under  the  com- 


28  SECULAR   HISTORY   OF   THE 

voluntary  contributions.  On  the  3d  of  April,  1771,  the  town 
voted  "  to  have  the  Rev.  Jonathan  Huntington  for  their  min- 
ister." At  the  same  time,  the  town  voted  to  raise  forty  pounds 
for  his  support  in  the  ministry,  and  to  raise  four  pounds  each 
year,  till  it  amounted  to  sixty  pounds,  which,  after  that  time, 
was  to  be  paid  to  him  annually.  Subsequently,  the  town  voted 
to  raise  fifty  pounds  by  subscription  for  Mr.  Huntington,  and 
sixty  pounds  for  his  yearly  support ;  to  be  paid  in  wheat  at  six 
shillings,  rye  at  four  shillings,  corn  at  three  shillings  per 
bushel,  and  other  necessaries  of  .life  at  their  market  value. 
Some  dissatisfaction  having  arisen  in  regard  to  the  manner  of 
maintaining  Mr.  Huntington,  and  a  few  individuals  refusing 
to  contribute  for  his  support,  the  selectmen  of  the  town  issued, 
on  the  31st  of  March,  1777,  the  following  preamble  and  war- 
rant: ''Whereas,  when  Mr.  Huntington  settled  with  us  in 
the  ministry  in  this  town,  he  told  us  he  would  have  no 
straightning  for  rates,  and  would  have  no  money,  raised  in 
that  way ;  and  notwithstanding  the  town  did  unanimously 
agree  to  support  Mr.  Huntington  by  tax,  or  liberality,  as  by 
the  vote  of  said  town,  it  will  appear ;  and  sundry  of  the  in- 
habitants refuse  or  neglect  to  pay  their  proportion  of  agree- 
ment, or  covenant,  or  contract — These  are  therefore  to  warn 
all  of  the  inhabitants,  who  have  a  right  to  vote,  by  a  late  vote 
of  this  town,  to  meet  together  on  Tuesday,  the  8th  day  of 
April,  next,  at  two  of  the  clock  in  the  afternoon,  at  the  Meet- 
ing house  in  said  town,  then  and  there  to  act  on  the  following 
articles : 

"  In  the  first  place,  to  see  if  the  town  will  shift  their  former 
method  of  supporting  Mr.  Huntington ;  in  the  second  place, 
if  so  voted,  then,  to  consider  what  way  or  method  to  come 
into,  upon  consideration." 

To  this  dissatisfaction  on  the  part  of  a  few  individuals,  Mr. 
Huntington  magnanimously  replied  to  the  town  in  the  follow- 
ing letter  : 

*'  Whereas,  when  I  was  settled,  in  this  town,  in  the  work  of  the  ministry, 

mand  of  Nestor,  Achilles,  two  Ajaxes,  and  other  Grecian  princes,  they  were 
accustomed  to  exclaim,  in  the  bitterness  of  their  feelings,  Ilium  fuit — Troy  was. 

A  commentator  upon  these  words  of  Virgil  remarks,  that,  "  it  was  a  custom  among 
the  Romans,  when  they  would  intimate  the  destruction  of  anything  which  reflected 
glory  upon  their  nation,  to  say  fuit,  so  asioshun  sounds  that  were  shocking ,  and  accounted 
of  bad  omen. 


TOWN   OF   WORTHINGTON.  29 

on  the  26th  of  June,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  1771,  I  made  known  my  prin- 
cipals and  sentiments  to  the  people,  when  I  accepted  their  call  to  the  work  of 
the  ministry ;  and  likewise  before  and  after  my  ordination,  that  it  was  con- 
trary to  my  principals  to  ever  have  the  civil  law  take  place,  to  support  the  Gos- 
pel, and  that  I  would  have  no  money  raised  in  that  way ;  and  since  it  has  been 
my  principal  ever  since,  and  still  is,  that  the  civil  law  has  nothing  to  do  with  the 
support  of  the  G-ospel ;  and,  whereas,  there  arises  some  uneasiness  in  some 
minds,  with  regard  to  their  paying  their  proportion  of  the  covenant,  which  they 
made  with  me  for  my  support  in  the  Gospel  way,  because  I  have  it  in  the 
power  of  my  hand,  to  make  the  town  pay  all  of  the  arrearages  and  interest 
that  is  behind,  and  so,  that  they  shall  have  more  than  their  proportion  to  pay 
— for  which  reason  some  refuse  to  pay ; 

*'  Therefore  to  remove  all  diflBculties  that  lay  in  such  minds,  and  to  minis- 
ter my  principals,  if  possible,  more  fully  for  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  peace 
of  the  church  and  people — these  are  therefore  to  give  a  full  discharge  to  the 
town,  of  all  that  I  might  require  of  them  by  the  civil  law,  since  I  have  been 
ordained  among  them  even  to  the  present  day ;  and  furthermore  I  nor  my 
heirs  never  will  nor  shall  bring  any  action  against  the  town  for  my  service  in 
the  ministry  so  long  as  God  in  His  providence  shall  continue  me  here  ;  and  fur- 
thermore it  is  my  design  and  desire,  that  notwithstanding  I  give  this  lawful 
discharge  to  the  town,  that  I  look  upon  myself  as  much  holden  to  them  to 
serve  them  as  before  and  that  the  town  is  as  much  holden  to  support  me  a 
Gospel  way. 

Jonathan  Huntington. 


To  the  Selectmen  and  town 
of  Worthington  " 


The  town,  at  the  next  meeting,  unanimously  voted  to  sup- 
port the  Rev.  Jonathan  Huntington  by  a  free  contribution  of 
sixty  pounds  a  year,  to  be  paid  to  him  quarterly. 

On  the  20th  of  May,  1788,  the  Eev.  Josiah  Spaulding  was 
invited  by  the  town  to  settle  with  them  in  the  work  of  the 
ministry.  His  salary,  during  the  first  year  of  his  ministry, 
was  one  hundred  pounds.  The  reply  to  this  invitation  of  the 
town  by  Mr.  Spaulding,  has  no  record. 

On  the  6th  of  August,  1794,  the  town  voted  unanimously 
to  give  the  Rev.  Jonathan  L.  Pomeroy  a  call  to  settle  in  the 
work  of  the  ministry,  and  also  voted  to  give  him  for  the  first 
year,  as  a  salary,  one  hundred  and  eighty  pounds,  lawful  money, 
and  ever  after  that,  as  long  as  he  should  continue  in  the  work 
of  the  ministry,  one  hundred  and  ten  pounds,  together  with 


30  SECULAR   HISTORY   OF    THE 

thirty  cords  of  fire  wood,  to  be  paid  annually.     The  following 
is  Mr.  Pomeroy's  reply  : 

•*To  the  Church  and  people  > 
of  Worthington,  } 

*'  Brethren  and  Friends, 
"  The  call  which  I  have  received  from  you  to  settle  in  the  work  of  the 
ministry  in  this  town,  I  have  attentively  and  prayfully  considered,  and  have 
concluded  to  accept, — The  advice  of  my  friends — the  apparent  harmony 
among  this  people — a  consideration  of  the  division,  which  in  the  opinion  of 
many  of  you,  as  it  has  been  manifested  -to  me  would  probably  take  place, 
should  you  employ  a  number  of  candidates — all  these  things  have  operated 
powerfully  with  me  to  bring  me  to  this  determination. — The  liberality  of  the 
town,  considering  the  sums  which  have  usually  been  paid  to  ministers  in  this 
part  of  the  country,  I  readily  acknowledge  to  be  great ;  and  the  generosity 
of  individuals,  I  also  recognize  with  gratitude  as  a  testimony  of  esteem  for 
me,  and  good  wishes  for  the  peace  and  happiness  of  this  society. — What  um- 
brage my  unwillingness  to  comply  with  former  customs  may  occasion,  I  can- 
not determine. — No  objections  of  any  considerable  consequence  hav^  come 
to  my  knowledge,  respecting  this  article. — Should  there  be  uneasiness  in  the 
minds  of  many — my  continuance  among  you  cannot  be  for  your  advantage, 
and  should  it  be  exhibited  before  it  is  too  late,  I  shall  not  view  myself  bound 
by  any  thing  contained  in  this  answer,  to  make  a  permanent  settlement  with 
you. — With  the  warmest  wishes  for  your  lasting  union  and  prosperity,  spir- 
itual and  temporal, 

I  am  Gentlemen  unfeiguedly  your 

friend  and  obedient  serv't 

Jonathan  Law.  Pomeroy. 
Worthington,  Oct.  14th,  1794," 

On  the  5th  of  November,  1833,  the  town  voted  to  give  the 
Rev.  Henry  Adams  a  call  to  settle  in  the  ministry  with  the 
Congregational  Society  of  Worthington,  and  to  offer  him  the 
sum  of  six  hundred  dollars  for  his  yearly  salary.  Mr.  Adams 
made  the  following  answer  to  the  town  : 

"  To  the  Congregational  Church  and  ) 
Society  in  Worthington,  ) 

•'  Brethren  and  Friends, 
"  Your  invitation  to  me  to  settle  with  you  in  the  ministry,  has  been  com- 
municated to  me  by  your  committee.     In  answer  to  it,  I  would  say,  that  I 
see  no  sufficient  reasons,  why  I  should  not  comply  with  it. — I  have  long  de- 
voted myself  to  the  spiritual  benefit  of  my  fellow  men,  and  considering  the 


TOWN    OF   WORTHINGTON.  ^  31 

unanimity  of  feeling,  manifested  in  favor  of  my  remaining  with  you,  I  see 
not  why  I  may  not  be  as  useful  here  in  the  cause,  to  which  I  have  devoted 
myself,  as  in  any  other  field  of  labor. — I  confess  that  my  mind  instinctively 
shrinks  from  the  responsibilities  of  a  Christian  minister,  and  well  it  may,  if 
my  confidence,  is  any  thing  like  self-confidence.  But  I  trust  in  God,  that 
He  will  sustain  me.  Relying  upon  Him,  that  He  will  give  me  His  guidance, 
and  the  comforting  aid  of  His  spirit,  I  answer  your  letter  in  the  afiSrmative. — 
The  sum  mentioned  in  the  invitation  of  the  society,  as  a  means  of  support,  is  no 
doubt  sufficient  for  every  reasonable  purposes,  and  is  therefore  satisfactory. — 
That  also  which  is  said  in  reference  to  the  manner,  in  which  our  connection  may 
be  dissolved,  coincides  entirely  with  my  own  feelings  in  reference  to  the  sub- 
ject.— With  the  prayer  that  God  would  bless  my  efibrts  for  your  benefit  I  am 
Your  servant  in  the  ministry 

H.  Adams." 

On  the  20tb  of  September,  1838,  Mr.  Adams,  on  account  of 
ill  health,  which  had  for  some  time  obliged  him  to  cease  from 
his  labors,  addressed  the  following  letter  to  the  church  and  so- 
ciety : 

"  To  the  Congregational  Church  and  ) 
Society  in  Worthington,  ) 

"  Beloved  Brethren  and  Friends, 
**  It  has  seemed  to  be  my  duty,  no  longer  to  delay  making  a  communica- 
tion of  the  views,  in  which  ray  mind  has  been  for  some  time  becoming  fixed, 
in  reference  to  the  prospect  of  my  being  able  to  resume  again  my  labors,  as 
your  minister. — The  fact  ought  not  to  be  concealed  from  you  that  my  expec- 
tations of  being  able  to  preach  within  any  period  of  time  not  remote,  have 
been  continually  diminishing  since  ceasing  from  my  labors,  till  the  present 
time,  and  now  I  cannot  say  that  I  think  there  is  any  reason  to  hope,  that  I 
shall  be  able  to  do  it. — This  being  the  case,  your  interest  seems  to  require, 
that  I  should  retire  from  my  station,  and  make  room  for  some  other  person 
to  occupy  my  place.  Accordingly,  I  would  hereby  request  you  to  join  with 
me  in  dissolving  the  relation,  which  we  hold  to  each  other. — As  the  circum- 
stances of  the  case  prevents  the  necessity  of  my  giving  the  six  months'  notice 
of  my  intention  of  my  leaving,  which  was  the  basis  of  our  connection, — I 
will  therefor  say  that  you  are  at  liberty  to  proceed  immediately  to  make  ar- 
rangements for  obtaining  as  soon  as  may  be  an  individual,  to  supply  my 
place.  Hoping  that  you  may  succeed,  in  that  you  may  soon  find  a  man  af- 
ter God's  own  heart,  and  that  you  may  enjoy  uninterrupted  temporal  and 
spiritual  prosperity. 

I  remain  most  aflfectionately  Yours, 

EIenry  Adams." 


32  SECULAR   HISTORY    OF   THE 

On  the  10th  of  November,  1838,  the  town  voted  to  give  the 
Rev.  John  H.  Bisbee,  the  present  pastor  of  the  church,  an  in- 
vitation to  settle  over  the  Congregational  Society  as  its  minis- 
ter; voted  also,  if  he  accepts,  to  give  him  six  hundred  dollars 
annually  as  his  salary,  so  long  as  he  shall  continue  to  be  min- 
ister and  pastor  of  said  society.  The  following  is  a  copy  of 
Mr.  Bisbee's  reply : 

•'  To  the  Church  and  Society  > 
in  Worthington,  ( 

•'  Brethren  and  Friends, 

"  Having  received  from  you,  through  your  Committee,  an  invitation  to 
settle  with  you  in  the  work  of  the  Gospel  Ministry,  I  hereby  inform  you, 
that  after  due  deliberation,  and  prayer,  I  consider  it  my  duty  to  accept  said 
invitation.  I  will  therefore  be  in  readiness  to  unite  with  you,  when  desir- 
able in  making  the  necessary  arrangements,  preparatory  to  my  installation. 
Wishing  you  grace,  mercy  and  peace, 

I  remain  Yours  &c., 

J.   H.   BiSBEE." 


CHAPTER  YI. 

BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCHES    OF    SOME   OF  THE  MOST  PROMINENT  MEN 
WHO  HAVE  RESIDED   IN  THE   TOWN. 

Doctor  MosES  Morse  was  educated  at  the  University  of  Cam- 
bridge, in  England,  and  subsequently  practiced  his  profession, 
as  physician  and  surgeon,  in  the  hospitals  of  Liverpool  and 
London.  From  the  commencement  of  the  Eevolutionary 
war,  he  appears,  by  the  town  records,  to  have  inclined  in  his 
prejudices  towards  the  cause  of  Great  Britain,  and  to  have 
shown  himself  to  have  been  as  notorious  as  a  tory  as  he  was 
eminent  as  a  physician.  By  shrewdness  and  tact,  he  influ- 
enced the  town  to  pass  a  vote,  in  1774,  making  the  ^tsTon-impor- 
tation  act  in  regard  to  tea,  which  the  town  a  few  years  before 
had  covenanted  to  maintain,  null  and  void.  In  1777,  his  tal- 
ents procured  him  a  seat  in  the  General  Court,  where  he  re- 


TOWN    OF   WORTHINQTON.  33 

mained  but  a  short  time,  having  been  recalled  and  censured, 
on  account  of  his  flagrant  toryism,  by  the  following  resolution, 
passed  by  the  town  on  the  14th  of  January,  1777 :  "  Voted 
that  Doctor  Moses  Morse,  for  his  misconduct  in  refusing  to 
act  in  behalf  of  the  town,  relative  to  a  petition,  and  saying 
that  he  would  oppose  it  with  all  of  his  might,  directly  contrary 
to  the  vote  of  this  town,  ought  not,  in  justice  to  the  cause  for 
which  we  are  now  contending  with  Great  Britain,  sit  any 
longer  as  a  Representative  in  the  General  Court  for  this  town." 
This  petition  was  a  request  made  by  the  town  to  the  Massa- 
chusetts Legislature,  to  have  its  unimproved  land  taxed,  to  as- 
sist in  defraying  the  expenses  of  the  war. 

In  spite  of  the  ill-will  and  prejudice  which  his  conduct  at 
this  time  occasioned,  he  subsequently  was  appointed  by  the 
town  to  act  on  important  committees,  on  account  of  his  emi- 
nent talents  and  ability. 

In  character,  he  appears  to  have  been  an  antipathetic,  dog- 
matical person,  whose  afiections  and  sympathies  differed  en- 
tirely from  those  of  his  neighbors,  and  whose  desire  always  to 
be  classed  in  the  ranks  of  those  who  opposed  their  cause, 
robbed  him  of  that  respect  and  esteem  which  his  abilities  oth- 
erwise would  have  won. 

He  died  near  the  close  of  the  last  century,  in  a  fit  of  apoplexy. 
His  body  was  borne  to  the  grave  on  the  shoulders  of  Revolu- 
tionary soldiers,  whom  during  most  of  his  life  he  had  opposed. 

The  coffin  in  which  he  was  carried  burst  open  on  the  shoul- 
ders of  his  neighbors  before  they  reached  the  grave,  which  was 
nearly  a  mile  from  his  residence,  causing  the  corpse  to  roll 
upon  the  ground,  and  manifesting,  as  one  of  the  soldier  bear- 
ers quaintly  expressed  it,  that  "  habitual  contrariness  which 
was  so  characteristic  of  him." 

Ezra  Starkwether,  who  was  born  on  the  15th  of  Decem- 
ber, 1754,  in  Stonington,  Conn.,  was  the  eldest  of  nine  sons, 
four  of  whom  early  enlisted  in  the  service  of  their  coun- 
try, and  lost  their  lives  in  the  Revolutionary  struggle.  Near 
the  commencement  of  the  war,  the  subject  of  this  notice,  who 
had  just  entered  his  profession  as  physician  in  the  town 
of  Preston,  Conn.,  abandoned  his  practice  and  immediately 
joined  the  army,  which  at  that  time  was  stationed  at  Crown 
5 


34  SECULAR    HISTORY    OF    THE 

Point.  At  the  expiration  of  six  months  his  health  failed  him, 
and  he  was  obliged  to  leave  the  army,  for  which  he  had  so 
zealously  and  patriotically  relinquished  a  lucrative  practice. 
Upon  leaving  the  army,  he  returned  to  Preston  and  resumed 
his  profession,  where  he  remained  until  near  the  year  1785, 
when  he  removed  to  this  town. 

To  the  worth  of  Ezra  Starkwether,  his  adopted  town  have 
borne  ample  testimony.  He  represented  the  town  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Legislature  during  six  years,  and  gained  for  himself 
as  a  legislator  that  respect  which. talent,  joined  with  integrity, 
so  often  wins.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Senate  from  1803  to 
1813,  inclusive,  and  also  in  1815-16  and  1817.  In  1820,  he 
was  chosen  by  the  town  as  a  member  of  the  State  Convention, 
held  at  Boston,  for  the  purpose  of  revising  the  Constitution 
of  the  Commonwealth. 

Although  he  was  honored  during  so  many  successive  years 
with  the  emoluments  of  office,  yet  his  pacific  and  controlling 
character  was  felt,  if  possible,  more  in  the  church  than  in  gen- 
eral society. 

He  was  the  great  pacificator  in  the  difficulties  of  the  church, 
and  the  great  compromiser  in  the  dissensions  of  the  town. 
His  words  fell  on  the  angry  elements  of  discord  as  "oil  upon 
troubled  waters."  He  listened  with  attention  and  respect  to 
the  arguments  and  claims  of  both  parties  in  controversy,  and 
decided  between  the  right  and  the  wrong  with  a  just  and  un- 
prejudiced arbitration. 

He  was  easy  and  facetious  in  conversation,  affable  in  his  dis- 
position, and  courteous  in  his  manners.  He  died  on  the  27th 
of  July,  1834. 

Jonathan  Brewster,  Jr.,  the  subject  of  this  notice,  was 
born  in  IN'ovember,  1759,  in  the  town  of  Preston,  New  Lon- 
don county.  Conn.  Starting  in  life  at  the  close  of  one  war, 
and  at  the  commencement  of  a  controversy  which  led  to  a 
second,  he  had  the  advantage  of  both  of  those  periods  of  ex- 
istence, when  the  fresh  recollection  of  patriotic  devotion  and 
self-sacrifice  in  the  past,  and  the  hopes  of  usefulness  and  dis- 
tinction in  the  future,  tend  to  awaken  the  better  impulses  of 
human  nature  and  produce  men  of  firm  and  unchangeable 
characters.     He  had  the  advantage,  too,  with  a  father  ardently 


TOWN    OF    WORTHINGTON.  35 

inclined  to  the  cause  of  the  colonies,  and  an  elder  brother  en- 
gaged in  the  war,  of  becoming  familiar  with  all  the  details  of 
his  country's  dispute  with  Great  Britain,  and  of  the  conflict 
which  was  to  end  it. 

How  far  a  family  interest  in  the  struggle  for  our  lN"ational 
Independence,^and  in  the  twelve  years'  conflict  of  words  which 
preceded  it, — how  far  a  domestic  sympathy  in  the  wants  and 
dangers  of  an  army  struggling  for  freedom,  tended  to  produce 
and  form  a  class  of  men  of  strong  and  resolute  minds,  let  that 
difference  answer  which  so  plainly  exists  at  this  day  between 
the  present  generation  and  the  two  that  have  preceded  it.  Of 
this  family  hearth-stone  interest  in  our  political  controversy 
with  Great  Britain,  the  subject  of  this  sketch  early  partook. 
He  read  in  the  family  newspaper  with  earnestness  those  el- 
oquent debates  in  Congress  which  we  now  calmly  peruse  in 
history,  and  became,  while  a  boy,  thoroughly  acquainted 
with  all  those  details  of  a  great  political  debate  which  nec- 
essarily imparts  vigor  and  energy  to  the  mind. 

Thus  he  became,  in  after  life,  an  invaluable  man  to  the 
town,  representing  its  interests  with  a  fearlessness  and  success 
which  no  other  man  at  that  time  could  have  commanded. 

In  the  spring  of  1777,  when  he  was  in  his  eighteenth  year, 
he  removed  with  his  father,  Deacon  Jonathan  Brewster,  to 
this  town.  Soon  after  his  age  had  entitled  him  to  take  a  prac- 
tical part  in  the  business  of  the  town,  he  was  chosen  to  fill 
the  most  important  offices  in  its  gift.  Having  a  good  com- 
mand of  language,  and  being  a  sound  reasoner,  he  was  often 
appointed  by  the  town  to  advocate  their  cause  in  differences 
with  other  towns.  Before  the  Board  of  County  Commis- 
sioners he  presented  the  interests  of  the  town  seldom  without 
success.  In  town  meetings,  as  chairman,  he  presided  with 
confidence  and  dignity.  As  a  public  speaker,  though  impul- 
sive, and  sometimes  passionate,  he  was  never  listened  to 
without  attention  and  respect. 

At  seven  different  times  he  represented  the  town  in  the 
General  Court,  where  he  was  respected  for  his  ability,  and 
often  honored  by  being  appointed  as  chairman  upon  impor- 
tant committees.  He  belonged  to  the  Board  of  Selectmen 
during  a  number  of  years,  and  held  important  town  trusts  till 
near  the  time  of  his  death. 


36  SECULAR   HISTORY    OF   THE 

In  character,  he  was  firm  and  unchangeable.  He  expressed 
his  opinions  hastily,  confidently,  and  perhaps  sometimes  dog- 
matically ;  hut  no  man  in  town  ever  weighed  a  subject  more 
accurately,  or  viewed  it  in  all  of  its  manifold  bearings  more 
scrutinizingly,  than  he.  A  man  of  strong  predjudices,  when 
once  he  had  examined  a  subject  and  taken  his  position  in  re- 
gard to  it,  no  motives  could  influence,  no  arguments  per- 
suade him  to  relinquish  it.  As  a  husband,  he  was  kind 
and  affectionate  ;  as  a  father,  he  was  a  thorough  disciplinarian 
— austere,  yet  mingling  kindness,  with  austerity.  He  died  in 
February,  1841,  loved  by  the  poor  for  his  kindness,  and  re- 
spected by  the  rich  for  his  integrity. 

AzARiAH  Parsons  was  born  in  the  town  of  Northampton, 
in  the  year  1761.  He  removed  to  this  town  at  a  period  of  its 
history,  the  most  cheerless  and  uninviting.  The  soldiers  of 
the  war,  worn  out  with  service,  and  without  money,  were  re- 
turning to  their  families,  who  could  welcome  them  with  noth- 
ing but  indigence  and  want.  The  treasury  of  the  town,  too, 
where  the  poor  and  destitute  were  authorized  to  find  protec- 
tion against  the  sufferings  of  cold  and  hunger,  had  long  been 
drained  by  the  expenses  of  the  war.  At  this  time,  1782,  most 
fortunately  for  the  pecuniary  interests  of  the  town,  AzariaK 
Parsons,  the  most  charitable  and  humane  man  known  in  the 
individual  history  of  its  early  citizens,  settled  in  this  place. 
He  was  a  man  who  earnestly  sympathized  with  the  poor  in 
their  suffering,  and  it  was  as  natural  for  him  to  give  to  them 
the  half  of  his  goods  as  it  was  for  Zaccheus.  There  was  a  hu- 
manity in  his  nature,  which  was  ever  opening  to  the  poor  an 
avenue  to  his  heart,  and  which  was  calling  continually  to  the 
suffering  and  destitute  to  take  shelter  under  the  wings  of  his 
benevolence.  Charity  with  him  was  considered  a  duty ;  and 
the  more  cheerfully  it  was  performed,  the  greater  recompense 
he  thought  he  should  receive  from  that  kind  Being,  who  is  a 
friend  to  the  friendless.  Thus  he  visited,  during  his  whole 
life,  the  families  of  the  poor  in  town,  sought  out  their  wants 
and  promptly  relieved  them  of  their  destitution.  He  died 
on  the  25th  of  May,  1846,  and  received  as  a  recompense 
for  hia  temporal  charity  the  eternal  benefaction  of  Him  '^who 
tempers  the  wind  to  the  shorn  lamb." 


TOWN    or   WORTHINGTON.  37 

Closely  following  the  early  settlers  of  this  town  upon  the 
stage  of  life,  was  a  generation  of  men  who  not  only  inherited 
all  of  that  individual  firmness  and  self-reliance,  which  so  emi- 
nently characterized  their  fathers,  but  also  added  to  their  hered- 
itary excellencies,  that  refinement  of  character,  which  is  gained 
by  the  privileges  and  opportunities  of  a  more  liberal  educa- 
tion. As  the  branches  of  the  banyan  tree,  which  bend  to  the 
ground  and  take  new  root,  grow  up  as  strong  as  the  parent 
stock,  and  whose  timber,  from  the  fineness  of  the  grain,  at- 
the  same  time  is  better  adapted  to  the  wants  of  man ;  so 
the  second  generation  of  the  inhabitants  of  this  town  grew 
up  as  strong  in  character  as  the  first,  yet  with  minds  more  re- 
fined, and  with  manners  more  polished.  While  the  influences 
of  the  war,  and  the  nature  of  the  controversy  which  preceded  it, 
exercised  all  of  the  intellectual  faculties,  and  stimulated  all  of 
the  energies  of  the  soul,  causing  so  many  of  the  early  settlers 
of  the  town  to  become  valuable  and  controlling  men,  the  his- 
tory of  this  war,  told  as  it  was  around  the  fireside  at  evening, 
and  the  investigation  of  those  elementary  principles  of  society 
and  government  which  grew  out  of  it,  formed  a  class  of  indi- 
viduals to  succeed  them,  no  less  useful  or  influential.  What 
the  long  series  of  sufferings  and  trials  which  the  new  settle- 
ment endured,  and  the  hardships  of  a  protracted  war  accom- 
plished in  forming  the  resolute  characters  of  such  men  as 
JSTathaniel  Daniels,  Nahum  Eager,  IsTathan  Leonard  and  the 
elder  Brewster,  the  history  of  the  same  and  the  practical 
knowledge  derived  from  it,  necessarily  inspiring  the  noblest 
principles  and  awakening  the  highest  energies,  did  to  create 
that  class  of  dignified  men,  of  which  the  subject  of  this  bio- 
graphical sketch  stood  prominent. 

William  Ward  was  born  in  the  adjoining  town  of  Cum- 
mington,  on  the  eighteenth  of  May,  1781.  His  father  dying 
when  he  was  quite  young,  he  removed  to  this  town  when  he 
was  but  fourteen  years  of  age,  and  entered  the  store  of  Mr. 
William  Gove  as  clerk.  His  strict  attention  to  business,  and 
the  faithful  performance  of  his  duties,  won  for  him  at  an  early 
age,  the  implicit  confidence  of  his  employer.  At  the  age  of 
seventeen,  the  entire  business  of  the  store  was  entrusted  to 
his  care;  and  it  was  at  this  time,  while  he  was  purchasing 


38  SECULAR   HISTORY    OF    THE 

goods  in  Boston,  that  his  ability  and  engaging  manners  gained 
for  him  a  passport  into  the  best  society,  and  the  acquaintance 
of  such  men  as  Fisher  Ames,  Josiah  Quincy,  and  other  dis- 
tinguished gentlemen,  whom  it  was  his  fortune  to  meet  with, 
when  his  business  called  him  to  the  city. 

In  1805,  he  formed  a  matrimonial  connection  with  Miss 
Elizabeth  Gove,  of  Connecticut,  daughter  of  Mr.  William 
Gove,  of  an  ancient  and  respectable  family  of  that  State. 
This  lady,  of  whose  virtues  and  exemplary  piety,  it  were  im- 
possible to  speak  in  terms  of  exaggeration,  was,  for  a  period 
of  little  short  of  half  a  century  the  cherished  and  affectionate 
partner  of  his  life.  By  her  kindness  and  amiable  disposition, 
she  robbed  life  of  many  of  its  cares  and  perplexities,  and 
strewed  his  path  through  this  world  with  the  proofs  of  affec- 
tion. The  companion  of  his  youth  and  manhood  was  the 
comfort  of  his  declining  years,  and  to  the  close  of  life  enjoyed 
the  evidence  of  his  warmest  regard  and  affection.  To  her  vir- 
tues, she  united  those  endearing  qualities  which  signalize  the 
fulfillment  of  all  the  social  duties,  and  adorn  with  grace,  and 
fill  with  enjoyment,  the  tender  relations  of  domestic  life. 

Soon  after  his  marriage,  he  removed  to  "'  The  Corners," 
and  commenced  business  in  his  own  name,  which  he  contin- 
ued with  little  or  no  intermission  until  within  a  few  years  of 
his  death. 

As  a  public  man,  he  held  during  his  life  various  offices  of 
trust  and  distinction.  At  five  different  times,  he  represented 
the  interests  of  the  town,  in  the  General  Court  of  the  Com- 
monwealth. In  1826,  he  was  chosen  to  fill  a  vacancy  in  the 
Senate,  occasioned  by  the  death  of  the  Hon.  Elihu  Lyman. 
He  accepted  this  office  at  the  time  of  his  election,  but  on  ac- 
count of  his  business,  he  did  not  take  his  seat  in  that  body. 
Subsequently,  he  was  chosen  a  member  of  the  Senate  for 
Hampshire  county,  which  office  he  held  during  the  years  of 
1836  and  1837.  He  also  held,  by  the  appointment  of  the  State, 
a  prominent  place  among  that  body  of  distinguished  men,  who 
were  called  to  alter  and  amend  the  legislative  enactments  of 
the  Commonwealth.  As  an  officer  of  the  United  States  Gov- 
ernment, he  was  post-master  for  the  town  during  eleven  dif- 
ferent administrations. 

In  1851,  the  town  with  a  commendable  gratitude  for  his 


TOWN    OF    WORTH INGTON.  39 

past  services,  and  a  unanimity  of  sentiment  which  will  always  be 
recollected  with  pleasure,  honored  him  with  the  highest  office 
in  its  gift.  He  accepted  this  office,  probably  with  more  just 
pride  than  any  honor  which  during  his  life  had  ever  been  con- 
ferred upon  him.  He  felt  as  if  it  was  to  be,  as  it  proved,  the 
last  public  testimony  borne  by  his  towns-people  to  his  charac- 
ter. No  man  ever  left  his  neighbors  and  friends  with  a 
deeper  sense  of  gratitude,  or  a  higher  appreciation  of  their 
confidence,  than  Col.  Ward  did,  after  his  election  as  rep- 
resentative in  1851. 

To  the  pleasant  recollection  of  this  confidence,  was  added 
the  happy  anticipations  of  a  retreat  to  Holyoke,  where,  in  the 
company  of  a  beloved  wife  and  affectionate  daughter,  he  could 
retire  whenever  fatigued  with  the  cares  of  legislative  business. 
These  fond  anticipations  never  were  realized.  His  wife  was 
taken  sick  near  the  last  of  November,  and  died  on  the  14th  of 
December  following.  He  followed  her  corpse  to  his  residence 
in  this  town,  but  his  heart  never  left  her.  He  died  on  Satur- 
day, the  20th  of  December,  1851. 

Col.  Ward  was  one  of  those  men,  whose  death  creates  a  va- 
cancy, so  impressive,  that  it  robs  language  of  all  of  its  powers 
of  eulogy,  and  renders  panegyric  tame  and  profitless  to  those 
who  knew  him  well.  With  the  turf  scarcely  green  upon  his 
grave — to  the  young,  who  had  the  honor  of  his  personal 
acquaintance,  and  in  whose  behalf  he  always  manifested  the 
warmest  interest — to  the  middle  aged,  who  sought  with  confi- 
dence his  advice,  and  to  the  old  man,  who  looked  upon  him 
as  a  friend — no  commendation  of  his  life  and  services,  can  be 
compared  to  that  personal  knowledge  of  his  character,  which 
was  gained  while  he  was  in  life ;  but  to  those  who  know  less 
of  the  character  of  Col.  Ward  than  his  neighbors  and  towns- 
men, and  to  those,  who  in  aftertime,  shall  desire  to  look  back 
with  pride  upon  their  native  town,  a  record  of  some  of  his 
prominent  qualities  will  not  be  entirely  in  vain. 

The  character  of  CoL  Ward  was  formed  at  an  early  period 
of  his  life.  Leaving  his  home  when  he  was  only  fourteen 
years  of  age,  and  entering  soon  after  into  the  active  and  re- 
sponsible duties  of  a  mercantile  business,  he  was  taught 
before  he  had  reached  the  threshold  of  manhood,  that  lesson 
of  self  reliance,  which  germinates  and  quickens  to  growth  all 


40  SECULAR    HISTORY    OF    THE 

4 

the  latent  energies  of  the  mind.  Having  naturally  a  retentive 
memory,  and  a  fondness  for  history,  he  commenced  early  in 
life  to  collect  and  treasure  up  in  the  storehouse  of  his  mind, 
those  facts  and  records  of  events,  which  in  after  life,  became 
the  sources  of  that  unlimited  information  which  he  possessed. 
He  had  an  ardent  passion  for  the  details  of  events,  and  those 
minute  particulars  ot  affairs  passing  around,  him,  which  other 
men  scarcely  notice  and  never  retain.  Thus  he  knew  the 
name  and  age  of  every  child — the  genealogy  of  nearly  every 
family  in  town,  and  the  individual  history  of  its  members. 
To  this  power  of  gathering  and  retaining  the  particulars  of 
events,  his  mind  joined  the  faculty  of  generalizing  these  de- 
tails and  arranging  them  into  their  respective  classes.  Hence 
arose  his  faculty  of  judging  so  correctly  upon  any  subject 
which  was  brought  before  him,  and  of  giving  advice  so  judi- 
ciously to  those  who  sought  it. 

In  conversation,  he  was  particularly  interesting  and  instruct- 
ive. Having  an  inexhaustible  fund  of  information,  no  subject 
could  be  started,  either  in  Church  or  State  history,  about 
which  he  could  not  relate  something  which  would  interest  the 
most  inattentive  and  phlegmatic  listener.  His  literary  taste 
was  more  refined  than  most  men  of  his  time  and  circum- 
stances. He  read  with  delight  the  gorgeous  imagery,  and 
eloquent  descriptions  contained  in  the  works  of  Burke,  and 
perused  with  no  less  pleasure,  the  vigorous  and  terse  letters 
of  Junius.  He  was  familiar  with  the  writings  of  Shakspeare, 
and  read  with  an  appreciating  sense  the  epic  poems  of  Milton. 

As  a  public  speaker  he  was  indifferent,  and  it  was  seldom 
that  he  ventured  to  speak  upon  any  subject  before  an  audi- 
ence ;  but  as  a  writer,  some  of  his  reports,  made  while  he  was 
a  member  of  the  Senate,  bear  the  marks  of  great  perspicuity 
in  diction  and  vigor  in  style. 

He  was  conservative,  as  it  regards  his  political  opinions, 
but  upon  many  subjects,  the  inquiring  nature  of  his  mind 
often  betrayed  his  radicalism.  To  know  the  cause  of  all 
thinofs,  often  led  him  to  examine  new  theories  in  science  and 
relio-ion,  and  this  habit  of  examination  often  caused  him  to 
view  the  exposition  of  any  modern  phenomena,  whether 
physical  or  moral,  with  more  leniency  than  he  otherwise 
would  have  done. 


TOWN    OF    WORTHINGTON.  41 

As  a  citizen,  he  was  entertaining  and  hospitable;  as  a 
neighbor,  obliging  and  courteous;  as  a  friend,  he  was  espe- 
cially kind  to  the  young. 

The  vacancy  which  his  death  occasioned,  extended  not  only 
through  the  neighborhood  where  he  resided,  and  the  town  in 
which  he  lived,  but  to  the  heart  of  every  one  who  had  had  the 
pleasure  of  his  acquaintance,  and  the  honor  of  his  friendship. 

The  death  of  Col.  Ward  occasioned  the  following  remarks, 
which  were  made  in  the  Massachusetts  Legislature,  near  the 
commencement  of  the  session  of  1852  : 

Mr.  Hopkins,  of  Northampton,  arose  and  said : 

Mr.  Speaker  :  It  becomes  my  painful  duty  to  announce  to  this  House 
the  death  of  Hon.  William  Ward,  of  Worthington,  a  member  elect  of  this 
body. 

William  Ward  was  born  on  the  18th  of  May,  1781,  and  died  at  his  resi- 
dence, in  Worthington,  on  the  20th  of  December,  1851,  in  the  71st  year 
of  his  age.  He  was  bred  and  continued  through  life  a  merchant,  with  par- 
tial attention  to  farming  interests.  He  was  more  than  a  common  man.  He 
was  an  extensive  reader,  possessed  of  a  retentive  memory,  and  kept  himself 
well  informed  of  current  events.  There  were  few  men  in  the  country  whose 
knowledge  of  public  affairs,  of  nations  and  governments,  was  superior  to 
his.  With  a  mind  well  stored  and  cultivated  beyond  most  others  in  like 
situations,  he  became  a  friend,  associate,  and  desirable  and  honorable  com- 
panion of  many  of  the  most  distinguished  men  of  his  time  in  the  western 
part  of  the  State. 

The  public  have  borne  testimony  to  his  worth.  He  first  represented  the 
town  of  Worthington  in  this  House  in  the  years  1816  and  1817,  and  after- 
wards in  the  years  1831  and  1835.  The  county  of  Hampshire  honored  him 
with  the  trust  of  Senator  in  the  years  1836  and  1837.  The  State  honored 
him  by  calling  him  to  serve  on  the  committee  for  revising  the  statutes  of  the 
Commonwealth. 

For  forty-six  years  of  his  life  he  held  the  office  of  post-master — a  just 
tribute  to  his  integrity,  and  a  singular  indication  of  the  esteem  in  which  he 
was  held  by  all  classes  and  parties. 

He  was  a  friend  whose  counsel  and  decision  were  extensively  sought  in 
his  own  and  neighboring  towns,  and  his  death  has  left  a  vacancy  in  the 
community  which  must  long  be  felt  and  lamented. 

His  wife  died  but  six  days  before  him.  He  was  then  in  health ;  but  ere 
she  was  laid  in  the  grave,  death  commenced  its  work  with  the  husband  also. 

They  were  united  in  life,  and  were  permitted,  almost  hand  in  hand,  to 
pass  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death. 
6 


42  SECULAR   HISTORY    OF   THE 

But,  sir,  there  is  one  circumstance  wbich,  more  than  all  others,  gives  a 
peculiar  impressiveness  to  the  event  in  its  relation  to  us.  Had  he  been 
spared  to  take  his  seat  here,  the  duty  would  have  devolved  on  him  of  call- 
ing the  House  to  order,  and  presiding  over  it  through  the  preliminaries  of 
its  organization.  But,  sir,  that  hand  which  seemed  destined  to  grasp  your 
own  in  welcome  to  the  chair  you  occupy,  lies  cold  in  a  snow-clad  grave. 
That  voice  which  seemed  destined  to  offer  the  first  official  greeting  to  us  all, 
is  hushed  in  death.  Our  friend,  our  senior,  is  no  more.  We  are  here.  He 
is  amid  other  scenes  and  in  other  duties.  There  is  but  a  step  between  us 
and  our  friend,  between  our  position  and  duties  here,  and  our  position  and 
duties  there.     May  the  thought,  sir,  chasten  and  hallow  all  our  acts. 

This  notice,  sir,  I  have  felt  was  due  to  the  memory  of  our  departed 
friend,  and  due  also  to  us,  that  we  should  properly  note  and  improve  the  ad- 
monitions of  Providence. 

Having  thus  announced  the  death  of  Hon.  William  Ward,  I  move,  sir, 
that  a  committee  be  appointed  to  report  what  order  the  House  should  take 
thereon. 

Mr.  Kellogg,  of  Pittsfield,  in  seconding  the  motion,  spoke 
as  follows : 

Mr.  Speaker  :  I  second  the  motion,  and  I  desire  to  add  that  Colonel 
Ward  was  almost  as  well  known  in  Berkshire  as  in  his  own  county  of 
Hampshire;  and  the  public  there  will,  I  am  sure,  cheerfully  concur  with 
the  gentleman,  in  ascribing  to  the  deceased  the  elevated  character  that  we 
have  heard.  His  life  was,  indeed,  one  of  great  usefulness  to  the  people  of 
the  region  where  he  lived.  He  possessed,  as  the  gentleman  has  said,  supe- 
rior natural  endowments,  a  highly  cultivated  general  intelligence,  a  judg- 
ment unusually  sound  and  discriminating ;  all  his  conduct  was  directed  by 
the  strictest  integrity  ;  and  he  has  been,  through  his  whole  life,  hailed  by 
all  who  knew  him  or  felt  his  influence,  as  a  chief  counselor  in  all  the  affairs 
of  life. 

I  sincerely  sympathize  with  his  children  and  relatives  under  their  sudden 
and  severe  bereavement ;  and  I  sympathize,  also,  with  the  people  of  Worth- 
ington  and  the  neighboring  region,  who  have  lost  so  great  and  patriarchal  a 
character ;  and  allow  me  to  say,  furthermore,  that  I  deplore  that,  in  the 
providence  of  God,  Colonel  Ward  could  not  join  us  in  the  public  duties  of 
the  session,  where  he  would  certainly  have  commanded  the  same  universal 
esteem  from  his  associates  that  he  used  to  eujoy  amongst  our  predecessors, 
and  where  he  would  have  amply  justified,  before  our  eyes,  the  eulogy  that 
the  gentleman  from  Northampton  has  paid  to  his  character  and  services. 

The  motion  was  adopted,  and  Messrs.  Hopkins  of  North- 
ampton, Kellogg   of  Pittsfield,  Lincoln   of  Boston,  Fay   of 


TOWN    OF    WORTHINGTON.  43 

Southboro,  and  Allen  of  Tisbury,  were  appointed  on  the  com- 
mittee, and  they  reported  the  following : 

Resolved,  That  the  House  of  Representatives  has  learned  with  grief  of 
the  decease  of  the  Hon.  William  Ward,  a  member  elect  of  this  body  from 
the  town  of  Worthington. 

Resolved,  That  the  House  bears  cordial  testimony  to  the  worth,  the  in- 
tegrity, and  the  eminent  public  services  of  the  deceased,  and  is  deeply  sen- 
sible of  the  loss  which  it  has  sustained  in  being  thus  deprived  of  his  coun- 
sels. 

Resolved,  That  the  House  deeply  sympathizes  with  the  family  and  friends 
of  the  deceased  in  their  bereavement. 

Resolved,  That  copies  of  the  foregoing  resolves  be  transmitted  to  the 
family  and  friends  of  the  deceased,  and  to  the  selectmen  of  the  town  of 
Worthington. 

Resolved,  That  as  a  further  testimony  of  respect  for  the  memory  of  the 
deceased,  the  House  do  now  adjourn. 

These  resolutions  were  unanimously  adopted,  and  accordingly  the  House 
adjourned. 

A  list  of  the  Representatives  of  the  town  of  Worthington  to  the 
Provincial  Congress,  and  to  the  General  Court  of  the  State  of 
Massachusetts,  with  the  year  in  ivhich  they  ivere  chosen  by  the 
town,  affixed  to  their  respective  names, 

Moses  Mokse,  Agent  to  Provincial  Congress,  17T3. 

Moses  Morse,  Representative  to  General  Court,  1777. 

Kahum  Eager,  Representative  to  Provincial  Congress, 
1774. 

J^AHUM  Eager,  Representative  to  General  Court,  1781, 
1783,  1789,  1790,  1791,  1792,  1794,  1796,  1797. 

E"athan  Leonard,  Representative  to  General  Court,  1775. 

Dea.  Jonathan  Brewster,  Representative  to  General 
Court,  1778,  1779,  1782,  1784,  1785,  1786,  1787,  1793,  1795. 

Hon.  Ezra  Starkwether,  Representative  to  General  Court, 
1788,  1798,  1800,  1801,  1802,  1803. 

Mathew  Warner,  Representative  to  General  Court,  1799. 

Jonathan  Woodbridge,  Representative  to  General  Court, 
1804,  1805,  1807. 

Elisha  Brewster,  Representative  to  General  Court,  1806. 

Jonathan  Brewster,  Jr.,  Representative  to  General  Court, 
1808,  1809,  1810,  1811,  1813,  1819,  1831. 


44  SECULAR   HISTORY   OF   THE 

Samuel  Howe,  Eepresentative  to  General  Court,  1812. 

JosiAH  Mills,  Eepresentative  to  General  Court,  1814,  1815, 
1822,  1829,  1835. 

Hon.  Wm.  Ward,  Eepresentative  to  General  Court,  1816, 
1817,  1831,  1834,  1851. 

Trowbridge  Ward,  Representative  to  General  Court,  1820, 
1821. 

Jonah  Brewster,  Eepresentative  to  General  Court,  1823, 
1832,  1833. 

Eansloe  Daniels,  Eepresentative  to  General  Court,  1836, 
1845. 

Chancey  B.  Eising,  Eepresentative  to  General  Court,  1838, 
1840. 

James  Benton,  Eepresentative  to  General  Court,  1839. 

Ames  Burr,  Eepresentative  to  General  Court,  1841,  1842. 

Ethan  C.  Eing,  Eepresentative  to  General  Court,  1843, 
1844. 

Elisha  H.  Brewster,  Eepresentative  to  General  Court, 
1847,  1852. 

Elbridge  Hazen,  Eepresentative  to  General  Court,  1848. 

Ethan  Barnes,  Eepresentative  to  General  Court,  1849, 
1850. 

A  list  of  the  Selectmen  of  the  town,  from  its  incorporation  to  the 
present  time, 

1768.  Nathan  Leonard,  1776.  Ebenezer  Leonard, 
Nathaniel  Daniels,  Thomas  Kinne, 
John  Kinne.  Moses  Morse. 

1769.  Thomas  Kinne,  1777.  Nathan  Leonard, 
Moses  Morse,  Thomas  Kinne, 
Samuel  Clapp.  Joseph  Marsh. 

1770.  Nathan  Leonard,  1778.  Dea.  Jonathan  Brewster, 
Nathaniel  Daniels,  Timothy  Meech, 
Nahum  Eager.                                               John  Skiff. 

1771.  Joseph  Marsh,  1779.  Dea.  Jonathan  Brewster, 
John  Kinne,  Moses  Porter, 
Alexander  Miller.                                         "Wilham  Burr. 

1772.  Ebenezer  Leonard,  1780.  Dea.  Jonathan  Brewster, 
Joseph  Marsh,  Moses  Porter, 
Alexander  Miller.                                         Joshua  Phillips, 

1773.  Nathaniel  Daniels,  Nathaniel  Daniels, 
Nahum  Eager,  Zephaniah  Hatch. 
Thomas  Kinne.  1781.  Nahum  Eager, 

1774.  Nahum  Eager,  John  Kinne, 
Nathaniel  Daniels,                                        Jonathan  Prentice. 
John  Kinne.  1782.  Nahum  Eager, 

1775.  Nathaniel  Daniels,  Samuel  Woods, 
Jonathan  Prentice,  Stephen  Fitch. 
Jeremiah  Kinne.  1783.  John  Watts, 


TOWN   OF   WORTHINGTON. 


45 


1783. 
1784. 

1785. 

1786. 

1787. 

1788. 

1789, 
1790. 

1791,  \ 

1792.  i 

1793. 
1794. 

1795. 
1796. 

1797,  ^ 

1798.  1 

1799. 
1800. 
1801. 
1802. 
1808. 
1804. 
1805. 
1806. 
1807. 


Stephen  Fitch, 
Samuel  Woods. 
Nahum  Eager, 
Dea.  Jonathan  Brewster, 
John  Kinne. 
Nahura  Eager, 
Dea.  Jonathan  Brewster, 
Job  Marsh. 
Nahum  Eager, 
Dea.  Jonathan  Brewster, 
John  Kinne. 

Dea.  Jonathan  Brewster, 
Nathan  Branch, 
Ezra  Leonard. 
Dea.  Jonathan  Brewster, 
John  Kinne, 
Ezra  Leonard. 
Dea.  Jonathan  Brewster, 
Mathew  Warner, 
Thadeus  Chapin. 
'  Dea.  Jonathan  Brewster, 
Mathew  Warner, 
'  Nathan  Branch. 
Jonathan  Woodbridge, 
Rufus  Marsh, 
Israel  Burr. 

Dea.  Jonathan  Brewster, 
Nahum  Eager, 
Mathew  Warner. 
Dea.  Jonathan  Brewster, 
Mathew  Warner, 
Jonathan  Woodbridge. 
Dea.  Jonathan  Brewster, 
Rufus  Marsh, 
Nathan  Branch. 
Rufus  Marsh, 
Elisha  Brewster, 
Samuel  Cook. 
Elisha  Brewster, 
Samuel  Cook, 
Ezra  Leonard. 
Ezra  Leonard, 
Samuel  Cook, 
Joseph  Marsh. 
Samuel  Cook, 
Jonathan  Brewster,  Jr., 
Eliashib  Adams,  Jr. 
Samuel  Cook, 
Jonathan  Brewster,  Jr., 
Jonathan  Woodbridge. 
Jonathan  Brewster,  Jr., 
Jonathan  Woodbridge, 
Nathan  Hazen. 
Jonathan  Woodbridge, 
Roger  Benjamin, 
Elijah  Curtis. 
Roger  Benjamin, 
Elijah  Curtis, 
Azariah  Parsons. 
Ezra  Leonard, 
Cyrus  Stowell, 
Trowbridge  Ward. 
Ezra  Leonard, 
Trowbridge  Ward, 
John  Stone. 


1808.  Jonathan  Brewster,  Jr., 
Trowbridge  Ward, 
John  Stone. 

1809     {  Jonathan  Brewster,  Jr. 

ism'    ^  John  Stone, 

^^^^'    (  Josiah  Mills. 


1811 
1812, 
1813 
1814 
1815; 
1816. 


:! 


1818. 


1819, 
1820. 

1821, 
1822. 


1823. 


1824, 
1825. 


1827 
1828 


Jonathan  Brewster,  Jr., 
Josiah  Mills, 
Roger  Benjamin. 
Ezra  Starkwether, 
Azariah  Parsons, 
Cyprean  Parish. 
1817.  Ezra  Starkwether, 

Cyprean  Parish, 

Azariah  Parsons. 

Trowbridge  Ward, 

Joseph  Marsh, 

James  Kelley. 

Jonah  Brewster, 

Josiah  Mills, 

Roger  Benjamin. 

Jonah  Brewster, 

Trowbridge  Ward, 

William  Eager. 

Jonah  Brewster, 

William  Eager, 

John  Stone,  Jr. 

Jonah  Brewster, 

John  Stone,  Jr., 

Timothy  Austin. 
1826.  Jonah  Brewster, 

John  Stone,  Jr., 

Joseph  Bardwell. 

Jonah  Brewster, 

John  Stone,  Jr., 

Gorham  Cottrell. 
1829:  William  Coit, 

Ansel  Burr, 

Lathrop  Reed. 
1830.  Jonah  Brewster, 

Ansel  Burr, 

Jeremiah  Phillips. 

Josiah  Mills, 

Ansel  Burr, 

Jeremiah  Phillips. 

Clement  Burr, 

Jeremiah  Phillips, 

Luther  Granger. 
1834.  Ransloe  Daniels, 

Ames  Burr,  , 

Oren  Stone. 

James  Benton, 

Elkanah  Ring, 

Azariah  Parsons. 

1837.  C.  B.  Rising, 
Jeremiah  Phillips, 
Ames  Burr. 

1838.  Ransloe  Daniels, 
Ames  Burr, 
Elkanah  Ring. 

1839.  Norman  Allen, 
Luther  Granger, 
James  Bisbee. 

1840.  Ransloe  Daniels, 
Elkanah  Ring, 


:| 


1831, 


1832, 
1833. 


1835 
1836 


^1 


46 


SECULAR   HISTORY   OF   THE 


1840.  Russell  Bartlett. 
^Q.^    (  Ransloe  Daniels, 
{^;i'  }  Ames  Burr, 
^^^'^-  (  Russell  Bartlett. 

1843.  Ransloe  Daniels, 
Elkanah  Ring, 
Russell  Bartlett, 

1844.  Russell  Bartlett, 
John  Adams, 
Elbridge  Hazen. 

1845.  John  Adams, 
Elbridge  Hazen, 
Oren  Stone. 

1846.  John  Adams, 


1847, 

1848. 

1849 
1850 
1851 
1852. 


1853, 


Elbridge  Hazen, 
Tilson  Bartlett. 
Elbridge  Hazen, 
Azariah  Parsons, 
Oren  Stone. 
Russell  Bartlett, 
Milton  Brewster, 
Ethan  Barnes. 
Elisha  H.  Brewster, 
Jotham  Clark, 
James  Bisbee. 
Jotham  Clark, 
James  Bisbee, 
William  H.  Bates. 


A  list  of  the  Professional  men  who  have  resided  in  the  town  of 

Worthington, 


PHYSICIANS 

octor  Morse, 

Doctor  D.  Peirce, 

"       E.  Stark  wether, 

H.  Starkwether, 

Marsh, 

"       Wheeler, 

"        Brewster, 

Bois, 

"        Porter, 

Colt, 

Richards, 

"        Brown, 

Dwight, 

*'       Prevost, 

Spear, 

"        Lyman, 

"       Rodgers, 

"        Knowlton, 

Case, 

"        Freeland, 

Peirce, 

"        Smith, 

"        Mekins, 

A.  Peirce. 

Holland, 

LAWYERS. 

Joseph  Lyman, 

Jonathan  Woodbridge, 

Samuel  Howe, 

Elisha  Mack, 

Daniel  Parish, 

PASTORS. 

Chancey  B.  Rising. 

^  Jonathan  Huntington, 

Rev.  Henry  Adams, 

Josiah  Spaulding, 

"     John  H.  Bisbee. 

Jonathan  Law.  Pomeroy, 


TOWN    OF    WORTHINGTON, 


47 


ox 

Wheat,  bushels  of. 

CO 

o 

Rye,  bushels  of. 

CO 

"o 

CO 
CD 

Indian  Corn,  bu.  of. 

CO 
C5 

Oats,  bushels  of. 

Ox 

Wool,  lbs.  of. 

1 

Peas  and  Beans, 
bush.  of. 

1—' 

Irish  Potatoes, 
bush.  of. 

o 

ox 

Barley,  bush.  of. 

g 

Buckwheat,  bu.  of. 

O 

Value  of  Orchard 
Products  in  dol's. 

to 
-3 

Butter,  lbs.  of. 

CO 
Ox 

Cheese,  lbs.  of. 

S^ 

o 

Hay,  tons  of. 

to 

Maple  sugar,  lbs.  of 

^ 
^ 

Maple  Molasses, 
gallons  of. 

1—1 

Beeswax  and  Hon- 
ey, lbs.  of. 

Ox 

Value  of  Home- 
made manufactures. 

CO 

-J 
GC 

Value  of  animals 
Slaughtered. 

Population. 


No.  of  Families. 


No.  of  Dwellings. 


No.  of  Farms. 


Valuation  of  Real  Estate. 


Valuation  of  Personal 
property. 


Improved. 


Unimproved. 


cS     Cash  value  of  Farms. 


c^  I  Value  of  Farming  imple- 
c"  I      ments  and  machinery. 


Horses. 


Milch  Cows. 


Working  Oxen. 


Other  Cattle. 


Sheep. 


Swine. 


g     Value   of  Live 
Stock. 


hj 

^. 
o 

o 

H' 
O 

O 

Hj 

t> 

o 

c+ 
fi 


CD 

o 
o 


O 


CD 

Q 
P 


CX) 

o 


ECCLESIASTICAL 

History  of  Worthington, 


FROM    THE 


FIKST  SETTLEMENT  OF  THE  TOWN 


TO  JULY  1,  1853. 


By  the  rev.  J.  H.  BISBEE. 


DEDICATION. 


TO  THE 

Congregational  Clinrcli  in  Wortliington, 

THIS   BRIEF    RECORD    OF    THE    PAST 
IS   MOST   AFFECTIONATELY 

WITH   THE   FERVENT    PRATER 

THAT   ALL  ITS  MEMBERS   MAY  BE  RICH  IN  FAITH  AND  FRUITFUL 
IN  aOOD  WORKS, 

i5^V    THE  ^VUTHOR. 


ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTOET. 


The  first  settlers  of  Worthington  had  been  reared  under 
the  influence  of  the  gospel.  Like  most  I^ew  Englanders, 
they  had  been  trained  to  "  fear  God  and  keep  his  command- 
ments," and  sacredly  to  regard  Divine  institutions  and  ordi- 
nances. To  these  they  were  strongly  attached,  not  only  from 
principle,  but  by  the  force  of  education  also.  When  they 
sought  their  home  in  the  mountain  wilderness,  they  took  their 
religion  with  them,  and  not  only  made  early  and  ample  pro- 
vision for  the  support  of  public  worship,  but  as  soon  as  practi- 
cable adopted  measures  for  the  full  enjoyment  of  all  gospel 
ordinances.  Like  wise  Christian  men,  they  correctly  judged 
that  both  their  temporal  and  eternal  well-being  demanded  the 
institutions  of  religion,  and  that  if  they  would  lay  a  broad  and 
firm  foundation  for  the  prosperity  and  true  elevation  of  them- 
selves and  their  posterity  to  the  latest  generation,  they  must 
do  it  in  Christianity,  Though  poor  in  the  things  of  this  world, 
they  could  not  afford  to  live  without  the  privileges  of  the  gos- 
pel, by  means  of  which  they  might  become  rich  in  faith.  As 
soon,  therefore,  as  a  sufficient  number  of  professors  of  religion 
had  become  permanently  established  in  the  place  to  warrant 
it,  measures  were  taken  to  gather  them  into  one  body,  or 
branch  of  the  visible  church  of  Christ.  A  church  was  or- 
ganized April  1st,  A.  D.  1771,  composed  of  the  following  in- 
dividuals, viz : 

Thomas  Kinne,  Grace  Buck, 

Ebenezer  Leonard,  Sarah  Pettengil, 

JSTathaniel  Daniels,  Sibil  Holton, 

Thomas  Clemans,  Meribah  Converse, 

Ephraim  Wheeler,  Sarah  Huntington, 


54  ECCLESIASTICAL    HISTORY    OF    THE 


Jonathan  Huntington, 

Biggelow, 

Hannah  Kinne, 

Eunice  Morse, 

Lydia  Marsh, 

Joseph  Marsh, 

I^athan  Leonard, 

Israel  Holton, 

Benjamin  Biggelow, 

David  Jewit, 

Moses  Soul, 

James  Bemiss, 

Samuel  Convers, 

Elizabeth  Bemiss, 

Edmund  Pettengil, 

Ellenor  Soul, 

Priscilla  Benjamin, 

Dorothy  Daniels, 

Anna  Williams, 

'  Abigail  Mehurin. 

These  individuals,  "  solemnly,  and  in  the  presence  of  the 
heart-searching  God,"  entered  into  covenant  with  each  other, 
and  unanimously,  and  with  ''  hearty  consent,"  adopted  a  "  con- 
fession of  faith,"  which  is  still  retained  by  the  church,  until 
the  present  day,  unaltered.  In  this  confession  of  faith,  they 
declared  their  belief  in  the  Sacred  Scriptures  as  the  word  of 
God,  and  adopted  these  as  their  only  unerring  rule  of  faith 
and  practice. 

Their  views  of  the  particular  doctrines  of  the  Bible,  may 
be  clearly  understood  by  the  following  declaration  :  "  In 
general  we  declare  our  approbation  of  the  Westminster  Con- 
fession of  Faith  and  Catechism,  as  for  the  substance  of  it, 
agreeable  to  our  belief  in  the  doctrines  of  Christianity." 
And  though  they  sp>ecified  several  of  the  leading  doctrines  of 
the  gospel,  and  adopted  some  few  and  simple  rules,  by  which 
to  regulate  their  proceedings,  they,  at  the  same  time,  discarded 
all  servile  bondage  to  any  human  formula  or  discipline.  In 
their  own  language :  "  We  agree  that  the  word  of  God  is  a 
sufficient  rule  as  well  for  the  practice  and  discipline  of  the 
church,  as  the  doctrine  of  faith,  and  that  human  compositions 
on  the  subject  of  church  discipline  are  to  be  used  only  as 
helps  and  means,  for  the  better  understanding  of  God's  word." 
And  without  casting  any  reflections  upon  other  denominations 
of  Christians,  or  forms  of  church  government  and  modes  of 
discipline,  or  setting  up  any  claim  of  special  divine  right  in 
favor  of  their  own  views,  they  very  modestly  said:  ''In  gen- 
eral, it  is  our  opinion  that  what  is  called  the  Congregational 
form  of  church  government  and  discipline,  is  in  the  main 
agreeable  to  the  word  of  God."     This  form  they  adopted.     It 


TOWN    OF    WORTHINGTON.  55 

was  manifestly  their  aim  to  build  a  church  "  upon  the  founda- 
tion of  the  apostles  and  the  prophets,  Jesus  Christ  himself 
being  the  chief  corner-stone." 

Having  organized  a  church,  they  immediately  sought  a  pas- 
tor to  labor  among  them,  and  be  over  them  in  the  Lord.  They 
correctly  judged  that  their  spiritual  interests  would  be  best 
promoted  by  a  settled  permanent  ministry.  Their  first  pastor 
was  Eev.  Jonathan  Huntington,  who  was  ordained  to  the  work 
of  the  ministry  and  settled  over  them,  June  26,  A.  D.  1771. 
He  was  a  native  of  Windham,  Conn.,  and  belonged  to  one 
of  the  most  distinguished  families  in  that  State.  The  names 
of  his  father  and  brothers  stand  high  in  the  records  of  the 
past.  How  or  where  Mr.  Huntington  was  educated,  does 
not  now  appear.  It  is  known,  however,  that  he  first  entered 
the  medical  profession,  in  which  he  evidently  became  some- 
what eminent.  For  what  particular  reason  he  changed  his 
profession  is  not  now  apparent.  From  what  may  now  be 
learned  respecting  him,  it  is  very  evident  that  he  was  by  na- 
ture peculiarly  mild  and  amiable,  and  by  grace,  a  man  of 
deep-toned  piety,  and  irreproachable  Christian  character.  As 
might  naturally  be  expected  of  such  a  man,  he  won  the  con- 
fidence and  secured  the  esteem  and  affection  of  the  church  and 
people.  He  was  removed  by  death,  March  11,  A.  D.  1781,  at 
the  age  of  48  years.  As  he  lived  beloved  by  all  who  knew 
him,  so,  when  he  died,  and  devout  men  carried  him  to  his 
burial,  great  lamentation  was  made  over  him. 

Under  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Huntington,  the  church  was  gen- 
erally prosperous.  The  additions,  however,  for  the  first  nine 
years  were  few,  and  those  mostly  by  letter.  In  1780,  the  last 
year  of  his  life,  fifty- three  were  received  into  the  church. 
And  though  no  record  is  left  of  any  special  awakening,  or 
general  outpouring  of  the  Spirit,  yet  the  increase  of  profes- 
sors plainly  shows  that  such  a  season  was  enjoyed. 

After  the  death  of  Mr.  Huntington,  the  church  remained 
several  successive  years  without  a  pastor.  Dififerent  individuals 
were  employed  to  preach,  some  of  whom  were  invited  to  settle, 
but  declined  the  invitation.  Under  this  course  of  procedure 
the  church  did  not  prosper,  and  religion  evidently  very  much 
declined,  as  is  frequently,  if  not  usually  the  case  where  an  un- 
settled and  fluctuating  ministry  is  employed. 


56  ECCLESIASTICAL    HISTORY   OF   THE 

The  second  pastor  of  the  church  was  Eev.  Josiah  Spalding. 
He  was  a  native  of  Plainfield,  Conn.,  and  was  educated  at 
Yale  College.  He  had  been  previously  settled  at  Uxbridge, 
Mass.  Being  dismissed  from  his  charge  there,  he  came  to 
Worthington,  where  he  was  duly  installed,  August  21,  A.  D. 
1788.  He  remained  but  a  short  time.  Many  became  dissat- 
isfied with  him,  in  consequence  of  which  he  was  dismissed  in 
1794.  He  was  subsequently  settled  in  Buckland,  Franklin 
county,  where  he  remained  until  the  time  of  his  death. 

He  was,  evidently,  somewhat  eccentric,  though  a  man  of 
full  ordinary  powers  of  mind.  He  published  a  valuable,  and 
somewhat  popular  octavo  volume,  entitled,  "  Universalism 
confounds  and  destroys  itself."  Some  of  his  sermons  also  ap- 
peared in  print.  There  was,  evidently,  great  excitement 
respecting  his  dismission.  Several  meetings  of  the  church 
were  held  before  any  definite  action  was  taken.  At  length  a 
committee  was  appointed,  and  charges  were  preferred  against 
the  minister.  The  most  important  of  these  may  be  sum- 
marily expressed  as  follows,  viz  :  A  change  of  religious 
doctrine;  immorality  in  practice,  and  delinquency  in  duty. 
Either  of  these  three  charges,  if  sustained,  would,  according 
to  Congregational  principles  and  usages,  have  worked  a  for- 
feiture of  his  ministerial  standing. 

The  charge  of  neglect,  related  to  visiting  the  sick,  and  the 
people  in  general ;  that  of  immorality,  was  falsehood  and 
fraud ;  but  in  what  particular  doctrine  he  was  thought  to  have 
changed,  does  not  appear  from  the  record.  An  ecclesiastical 
council  was  at  length  called  to  investigate  these  charges,  and 
give  advice.  The  result  was  that  not  one  of  them  was  sus- 
tained. The  council  endorsed  both  his  sentiments  and  his 
character,  and  bore  honorable  testimony  in  favor  of  his  piety. 
They  recommended  him,  as  an  example  of  meekness,  fidelity 
and  charity.  Their  language,  further,  is :  "  We  find  no  fault 
in  Mr.  Spalding  which  should  operate  as  a  reason  for  the  dis- 
solution of  his  pastoral  relation;  nevertheless,  there  is  such  a 
large  number  of  the  church  and  town  so  dissatisfied  with  him 
as  their  minister,  that  it  is  not  for  the  interest  of  religion  for 
him  to  continue  here." 

Though  several  were  received  to  the  church,  under  the 
ministry  of  Mr.  Spalding,  still  the  number  was  small,     No 


TOWN    OF   WORTHINGTON.  57 

general  religious  interest  appears  to  have  been  awakened,  and 
no  special  season  of  revival  enjoyed. 

The  third  pastor  of  the  church  was  Rev.  Jonathan  L.  Pome- 
roy.  He  was  born  in  the  parish  of  Greenfield,  in  the  town 
of  Fairfield,  Conn.  His  father  was  a  clergyman  and  pastor 
of  the  church  in  that  place,  where  he  died  in  the  meridian 
of  life.  Mr.  Pomeroy  was  thus  early  in  life  left  without  a 
father;  and  for  some  reason,  his  mother,  who  had  charge 
of  his  education,  did  not  send  him  to  college.  He  received 
both  his  classical  and  theological  education  under  the  instruc- 
tion of  Eev.  Timothy  Dwight,  D.  D.,  who  was  subsequently 
President  of  Yale  College.  Dr.  Dwight  was,  at  that  time, 
pastor  of  the  church,  and-  preceptor  of  an  academy  at  G-reen- 
field.  But,  though  without  the  advantages  of  a  college,  Mr. 
Pomeroy  was  still  a  ripe  scholar,  particularly  in  the  languages. 
He  read  Latin  and  Greek  fluently,  and  was  almost  as  familiar 
with  the  French  as  with  his  mother  tongue.  The  degree  of 
Master  of  Arts  was  conferred  on  him  by  Yale  College.  He 
was  ordained,  and  settled  over  the  church  in  Worthington, 
J^ovember  26,  A.  D.  1794,  where  he  remained  until  1832,  a 
period  of  thirty-eight  years.  And  though  at  the  time  of  his 
settlement,  a  portion  of  the  people  were  not  satisfied  with 
him,  and  even  laid  before  the  ordaining  council  a  formal  pro- 
test against  their  procedure,  still  the  length  of  his  pastorate 
conclusively  shows  that  he  must  have  soon  secured,  and  re- 
tained, the  confidence  of  the  people  generally.  In  1832,  he 
was,  at  his  own  urgent  request,  honorably  dismissed.  He  soon 
after  removed  to  Feeding  Hills,  a  parish  in  West  Springfield, 
where  he  lived  mostly  in  retirement  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred June  4,  1836.  His  age  was  sixty-seven  years.  He 
possessed  a  valuable  property,  most  of  which  he  bequeathed 
to  benevolent  societies.  He  published  a  volume  of  practical 
sermons,  several  of  which  were  preached  on  special  occasions. 
Some  other  writings  of  his  may  also  be  found  in  print.  He 
was  a  man  of  more  than  ordinary  powers  of  mind.  His  per- 
ception was  quick,  his  penetration  keen,  and  his  memory  was 
uncommonly  retentive.  The  man  who  met  him  in  intel- 
lectual contest,  usually  found  him  with  his  armor  on,  and 
ready  for  use.  On  account  of  some  bodily  infirmities,  real  or 
imaginary,  his  habits  of  study,  during  some  of  the  last  years 


58  ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY   OF   THE 

of  his  life,  were  not  rigid ;  his  preaching  was  mainly  extem- 
pore, and  often  rather  desultory.  From  his  personal  appear- 
ance, the  stranger  would  think  him  cold,  distant  and  austere. 
But  they  who  knew  him  best,  and  most  frequently  partook  of 
his  liberal  hospitality,  found  him  social,  affable,  and  exceed- 
ingly warm-hearted.  In  religious  sentiment,  he  was  strictly 
evangelical,  and  dealt  with  error  and  errorists  with  great 
plainness,  and  sometimes  with  peculiar  severity.  He  regarded 
himself  as  "  set  for  the  defence  of  the  gospel,"  and  would 
make  no  compromise  with  what  he  regarded  as  error,  or  with 
those  who  preached  it.  He  possessed  an  uncommon  share  of 
moral  courage  and  firmness.  He  was  not  often,  if  ever, 
known  to  shrink  from  what  he  honestly  believed  his  duty. 

Under  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Pomeroy,  the  church  was  gen- 
erally prosperous,  and  religion  flourishing.  Eevivals  were 
frequent,  and  some  of  them  extensive  and  powerful.  Some 
of  these  demand  more  than  a  passing  notice.  In  1798,  a  work 
of  special  grace  commenced,  which  continued  until  the  fol- 
lowing year.  As  the  fruit  of  this  refreshing,  fifty-four  were 
admitted  to  the  church  ;  some  of  whom  still  remain,  thougl 
nearly  all  have  long  since  ''fallen  asleep." 

Another  season  of  refreshing  was  enjoyed  in  1808.  God 
appears  to  have  shaken  the  whole  place  at  that  time,  and 
sifted  the  people.  The  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost  seems  to 
have  been  almost  as  signally  displayed  as  on  the  memorable 
day  of  Pentecost.  The  following  is  an  extract  from  an  entry, 
made  in  the  church  records,  at  the  time,  by  Mr.  Pomeroy  : 
"Be  it  forever  remembered  to  the  glory  of  all  conquering 
grace,  that  after  a  long,  dark  and  stupid  time,  thirty-six  per- 
sons having  before  made  a  public  relation  of  their  religious 
experience  in  the  meeting-house,  united  with  this  church  on 
the  first  day  of  May,  1808."  These  were,  however,  but  the 
first-fruits  of  that  revival.  During  that  year,  one  hundred 
and  thirteen  were  received  to  the  church. 

In  1819  was  another  season  of  special  mercy.  In  the  lan- 
guage of  Mr.  Pomeroy :  "  A  glorious  season  of  the  grace  of 
God  began  here  about  the  time  of  the  State  Fast."  That 
work  was  also  very  general.  All  parts  of  the  town,  if  not  all 
families  shared  in  it.  One  hundred  individuals  were  admit- 
ted to  the  church  during  that  year. 


*  TOWN    OF    WORTHINGTON.  59 

The  church  was  blessed  with  another  revival  in  the  year 
1827.  This  was  neither  so  powerful  nor  so  general  as  some 
of  the  preceding.  Thirty-two  were  admitted  to  the  church 
as  the  fruit  of  it. 

Besides  these  remarkable  seasons  of  general  religious  in- 
terest, there  were  many  others,  the  same  in  kind,  though  less 
in  extent  and  power.  Additions  were  made  to  the  church 
nearly  or  quite  every  year.  Probably  one-foarth  or  one-third 
of  all  received  into  communion,  were  gathered  in  when  there 
was  no  general  awakening.  This  would  indicate  a  healthy 
state  of  morals  and  religion  generally. 

The  preceding  statement  of  facts  is  sufficient,  and  even 
more  than  sufficient,  to  correct  one  of  the  gross  misrepresen- 
tations which  has  been  made,  and  extensively  circulated,  in 
relation  to  Mr.  Pomeroy.  It  has  been  said,  and  extensively 
published,  and  is  believed  by  many,  especially  in  some  of  the 
neighboring  towns,  to  this  day,  that  he  was  opposed  to  revivals 
of  religion,  and  that  few,  if  any,  were  enjoyed  under  his  min- 
istry. 

The  records  of  the  past  set  this  matter  in  its  true  light. 
They  show,  to  a  demonstration,  that  the  church,  during  his 
pastorate,  was  peculiarly  blessed  with  such  seasons,  probably 
far  beyond  that  of  any  other  church  in  the  vicinity.  And 
the  entries,  which  he  made  upon  the  records  at  different  times, 
clearly  show  that  his  whole  heart  was  engaged  in  the  work  of 
promoting  them. 

It  is  true  that,  in  the  latter  part  of  his  ministry,  he  did  op- 
pose the  introduction  of  certain  novelties,  technically  called 
'''New  Measures,"  for  the  promotion  of  revivals  of  religion. 
He  regarded  them  as  innovations,  and  pernicious  in  their 
eflects.     In  this  opinion  he  was  not  alone. 

Probably  a  majority  of  the  pastors  of  Congregational 
churches  in  Massachusetts,  agreed  with  him  then,  and  no 
doubt  a  still  greater  number  would  now,  after  having  seen 
the  results  so  clearly  manifested. 

The  fourth  pastor  of  the  church  was  Rev.  Henry  Adams 
He  was  settled  December  25, 1833,  and  was  dismissed  in  1838, 
on  account  of  the  loss  of  his  health.     As  he  is  still  living,  it 
is  unnecessary  to  speak  minutely  of  him.     Suffice  it  to  say, 
that  he  is  a  native  of  Worthington.     He  received  his  classical 


60  ECCLESIASTICAL    HISTORY   OF   THE 

education  at  Amherst  College,  and  his  theological  at  Andover 
Seminary.  Since  his  removal  from  "VVorthington,  he  has  re- 
gained his  health,  and  resumed  the  labors  of  the  ministry. 
He  has  been  settled  in  Bolton  and  Berlin,  in  "Worcester 
county.  During  his  pastorate,  the  church  was  in  a  state  of 
general  health  and  prosperity.  Additions  were  made  to  it 
yearly.  In  1837,  more  than  usual  religious  interest  was  man- 
ifested. The  Spirit  descended  like  the  gently  refreshing  dew, 
as  the  fruit  of  which,  nineteen  were  received  to  the  church 
by  profession. 

Eev.  John  H.  Bisbee,  the  present  pastor  of  the  church,  was 
settled  in  December,  1838.  He  was  born  in  the  town  of 
Chesterfield ;  but  his  parents  being  members  of  the  church 
in  Worthington,  he  w^as  baptized  by  Eev.  Mr.  Pomeroy,  and 
brought  up  under  his  ministry.  He  was  graduated  at  Union 
College,  and  received  his  theological  education  in  part  at 
Auburn,  N.  Y.,  and  the  remainder  under  the  instruction  of 
Rev.  Mr.  Chapin,  then  pastor  of  the  church  in  Westhampton. 

Mr.  Bisbee  was  first  settled  in  the  adjoining  town  of  Mid- 
dlefield,  where  he  labored  in  the  ministry  five  years.  Since 
his  settlement  in  Worthington,  the  church  has  generally  been 
in  a  prosperous  condition.  Additions  have  been  made  to  it, 
by  profession,  every  year  except  one.  Special  seasons  of 
grace  have  also  been  enjoyed.  In  the  fall  of  1842,  a  revival  of 
religion  commenced,  which  continued  through  the  following 
winter  and  spring ;  as  the  result  of  which,  forty-eight  were  re- 
ceived into  the  church,  by  profession.  Another  similar  sea- 
son began  about  the  commencement  of  1850,  which  continued 
nearly  through  the  whole  year.  The  Spirit  came  not  as  the 
mighty  rushing  wind,  but  as  the  still  small  voice,  speaking 
in  whispers  to  the  soul.  As  the  fruit  of  this  revival,  forty- 
nine  were  received  into  the  church.  Besides  those  gathered 
in  times  of  general  awakening,  others,  though  in  smaller 
numbers,  have  been  added  at  other  seasons.  Under  the  min- 
istry of  the  present  pastor,  including  some  few  received  by 
letter,  more  than  two  hundred  have  been  admitted  to  the 
church.  The  whole  number  received  since  its  organization, 
is  not  far  from  nine  hundred.  And  yet,  notwithstanding 
these  numerous  accessions,  so  frequent  have  been  the  remov- 
als  by  death   and   dismission,  that   only  two   hundred   and 


TOWN   OF   WORTHINGTON.  61 

twenty-six  members   remain  at   the  present  time,  July  1st, 
1853. 

The  following  persons  have  held  the  office  of  deacon  in  this 
church,  viz : 

Joseph  Marsh,  Nathan  Leonard, 

Joshua  Phillips,  Jonathan  Brewster, 

Eufus  Marsh,  Ezra  Leonard, 

Ebenezer  Mies,  Asahel  Prentice, 

Charles  Starkweather,  Azariah  Parsons, 

Daniel  Pierce,  Asa  Marble, 

Normand  Allen,  Lyman  White, 
Schuyler  R.  Wilbur. 


Of  the  five  pastors  of  this  church,  only  two  now  survive  ; 
and  of  the  fifteen  deacons,  only  four.  It  may  reasonably  be 
supposed  that  an  equally  large  proportion  of  the  private  mem- 
bers of  the  church  have  *'  fallen  asleep,"  as  of  its  officers. 
Thus  "  one  generation  passeth  away,  and  another  generation 
Cometh." 

There  was  but  one  church  organization  in  the  town  of 
Worthington,  and  but  one  congregation  of  worshipers  on  the 
Sabbath,  until  1828.  During  that  year,  a  Methodist  Episco- 
pal church  was  formed  in  the  south-eastern  part  of  the  town. 
A  congregation  was  gathered,  composed  of  individuals  resid- 
ing in  Worthington,  Chesterfield,  Norwich  and  Chester. 
Public  worship  was  established,  and  a  plain,  substantial  meet- 
ing-house erected.  ^  They  were,  for  several  years,  supplied 
with  preachers  from  the  Conference.  More  recently  they 
have  changed  their  organization  and  connection.  The  church 
is  now  called  Wesleyan.  They  manage  their  own  affairs,  pro- 
cure and  contract  with  their  own  ministers. 

Within  a  few  years  past,  they  have  abandoned  their  first 
house  of  worship,  as  inadequate  to  their  wants,  and  with  com- 
mendable liberality,  have  erected  a  more  beautiful,  elegant 
and  commodious  one.  God  has  often  visited  this  church  in 
merc}^  ;  precious  seasons  of  revival  have  been  enjoyed  ;  audit 
is  believed  that  many  souls  have  been  gathered  into  the  fold 
of  Christ. 

In  1848,  a  Methodist  Episcopal  church  was  formed  in  the 


62  ECCLESIASTICAL    HISTORY    OF    THE 

north-western  part  of  the  town,  and  soon  after  a  plain,  com- 
fortable house  of  worship  was  erected.  This  church  is  con- 
nected with  the  Troy  Conference,  from  which  it  is  supported 
with  preachers.  Some  seasons  of  special  religious  interest 
have  also  been  enjoyed  there.  The  congregation  is  gathered 
mainly  from  Worthington  and  Peru. 

The  history  of  the  past,  though  extending  to  a  single  town 
or  church  only,  as  well  as  that  which  embraces  nations  and 
empires,  illustrates  the  providence  and  grace  of  God.  He 
who  reads  it,  and  does  not  see  the. Divine  hand  in  the  persons 
who  have  been  raised  up,  in  the  events  that  have  taken  place, 
and  the  scenes  which  have  been  exhibited,  must  be  blind  to 
some  of  its  most  prominent  and  expressive  features;  and 
must  hence  lose  more  than  half  the  benefit,  if  not  an  equal 
share  of  the  pleasure,  of  its  perusal.  Emphatically  it  is  true 
that  "God  is  in  history."  In  the  brief  narrative  which  has 
now  been  given.  He  is  too  manifest  to  be  unseen,  and  the  im- 
press of  His  hand  is  too  legibly  inscribed  on  the  record  to  be 
erased.  May  the  reader  here  see  and  acknowledge  God,  and 
learn  lessons  of  heavenly  wisdom  from  the  past.  As  he  stands 
among  the  graves,  and  treads  upon  the  dust  of  his  ancestors, 
may  he  be  incited,  by  the  record  of  their  actions  and  charac- 
ter, to  emulate  their  virtues,  and  to  perform  similar  deeds  of 
patriotism,  philanthropy,  benevolence  and  religion. 

This  brief  history  gives  us  impressive  lessons  of  instruction 
upon  the  shortness  of  human  life,  the  uncertainty  of  earthly 
good,  the  mutability  of  the  world,  and  the  rapidity  with 
which  its  scenes  change.  Yet,  be  it  remembered,  that  the 
length  of  life  should  be  measured,  rather  by  the  amount  and 
character  of  its  deeds,  than  by  the  number  of  its  years.  "  That 
life  is  long  which  answers  life's  great  end;"  and  that  life  is 
short,  however  numerous  its  years,  which  runs  to  waste.  A 
short  flight  with  the  eagle  among  the  stars,  is  more  valuable 
than  a  long  race  with  the  reptile  in  the  dust.  Happy  he,  who 
while  passing  through  the  changing  scenes  of  earth,  becomes 
by  the  power  of  Divine  grace,  thoroughly  prepared  for  his  own 
last  great  change,  and  fitted  to  awake  from  the  slumbers  of  the 
grave  in  the  likeness  of  God. 


CONTIE"UATIO]^ 


Ecclesiastical  History  of  Worthington, 


From  1853  to  1874. 


BY    REV.    J,    H.    BISBE3E. 


Continuation  of  the  Ecclesiastical  History. 


Rev.  J.  H,  Bisbee  remained  pastor  of  the  Congregational 
church  until  March  13,  1867,  a  period  of  more  than  twenty- 
eight  years,  when,  at  his  own  request,  he  was  dismissed.  At 
the  same  time  he  received  and  accepted  a  call  to  the  pastorate 
of  the  Second  Congregational  church  in  the  neighboring  town 
of  Huntington,  where  he  still  remains  (1874).  During  his 
ministry  in  Worthington,  about  three  hundred  persons  were 
received  to  the  church.  A  large  majority  of  these  were  ad- 
mitted on  profession  of  their  faith.  The  ordinance  of  bap- 
tism was  administered  to  two  hundred  and  forty-eight  adults 
and  infants. 

Until  the  year  1865,  the  business  of  the  Congregational  so- 
ciety was  done  under  the  town  warrant,  as  in  the  days  of  the 
fathers.  All  its  affairs  were  managed  by  the  officers  of  the 
town.  But  at  that  time  it  was  deemed  advisable  to  bring 
about  a  separation.  A  meeting  was  accordingly  called  for 
that  purpose,  by  due  form  of  law,  and  a  separate  organization 
was  formed  in  accordance  with  the  Revised  Statutes.  In  the 
Spring  of  1867  the  church  and  parish  unitedly  invited  David 
S.  Morgan  to  settle  with  them.  He  accepted  the  invitation, 
and  was  accordingly  ordained  and  installed  the  26th  day  of 
June  following.  When  called  to  this  place,  he  was  residing 
at  Andover,  Mass.  He  received  his  classical  and  theological 
education  at  several  different  places.  His  name  appears  on 
the  catalogue  of  Union  College,  Schenectady,  in  the  class  of 
1861,  but  he  appears  not  to  have  graduated  there.  His  pas- 
torate continued  nearly  two  years,  when  it  was  considered 
advisable,  on  the  part  of  the  church  and  parish,  that  the  con- 
nection should  be  dissolved.  He  was,  therefore,  dismissed 
May  26,  1869.  Soon  after  this  he  went  West,  where  he  has 
9 


QQ  ECCLESIASTICAL    HISTORY    OF    THE 

since  preached  in  several  different  places.  IS'othing  note- 
worthy occurred  during  his  pastorate.  Six  individuals  were 
baptized,  and  Rve  were  admitted  to  the  church. 

During  the  year  1870,  the  interior  of  the  church  edifice, 
which  had  remained  unaltered  forty-five  years,  was  completely 
reconstructed.  Its  original  arrangement  was  seen  to  be  an- 
tique and  uncouth.  It  was  neither  as  convenient  nor  comfort- 
able, nor  tasteful  as  the  house  of  the  Lord  always  ought  to 
be.  It  was  not  in  harmony  with  the  spirit  of  the  age.  It  was, 
hence,  Avisely  and  judiciously  transformed  to  modern  style  and 
good  taste.  This  change  was  made  at  the  expense  of  several 
thousand  dollars — a  sum  equal  to  about  two-thirds  the  original 
cost  of  the  building.  The  house  was  rededicated  to  the  wor- 
ship of  God,  with  appropriate  religious  exercises,  August  3, 
1870.  Addresses  were  made  by  Eev.  J.  H.  Bisbee  former 
pastor,  Eev.  G.  W.  Heacock,  D.  D.,  of  Buffalo,  I^.  Y.,  and 
Eev.  E.  Taylor,  D.  D.,  of  Binghamton,  ]^.  Y.  On  the  same 
day,  Eev.  Joseph  F.  Gaylord,  who  had  supplied  the  pulpit 
nearly  a  year,  and  who  had  received  and  accepted  a  call  to 
settle,  was  installed  pastor.  He  was  a  native  of  ]^orfolk. 
Conn.,  and  a  graduate  of  Yale  College,  in  the  class  of  1863. 
He  took  his  theological  course  at  Union  Seminary,  N.  Y. 
His  pastorate,  though  brief,  was  successful.  A  general  revival 
of  religion  was  experienced  in  1870-71,  as  the  results  of  which 
forty-foar  were  received  to  the  church.  The  whole  number 
admitted  during  his  pastorate,  was  sixty-four.  Twenty-four 
persons  were  baptized.  In  1873  he  resigned  his  charge,  and 
accepted  a  call  to  the  Congregational  church  in  Manistee, 
Mich.,  where  he  now  is  (1874).  He  was  dismissed  April  1, 
1873. 

May  24, 1871,  the  church  had  its  centennial  celebration  with 
appropriate  religious  exercises.  A  historical  discourse  was 
delivered  by  the  pastor,  followed  by  short  addresses  from  sev- 
eral other  clergymen  present,  after  which  the  sacrament  of  the 
Lord's  supper  was  administered. 

Previously  to  that  time,  no  change  had  been  made  in  the 
articles  of  faith,  or  covenant  of  the  church.  These  documents 
had  remained  one  hundred  years  unaltered.  The  foundation 
laid  by  the  fathers  was  considered  too  firm  to  be  moved. 
Since  that  time,  the  creed  and  covenant  have  both  been  re- 


TOWN    OF   WORTHINGTON.  67 

vised,  and  a  new  church  manual,  has  been  adopted.  This 
revision,  however,  was  not  designed  to  introduce  any  change 
in  fundamental  doctrine,  but  the  rather  to  express  the  truths 
set  forth  more  briefly,  and  in  more  modern  language.  This 
church  has  thus  manifestly  been  distinguished  for  its  stability. 
It  has  not  been  blown  about  by  every  wind  of  doctrine. 
Though  tolerant  of  others,  it  has  still  kept  its  own  faith  firmly. 
While  other  churches  in  the  vicinity,  have  been  disturbed  by 
diverse  and  strange  doctrines,  and  been  rent  by  discord,  this 
has  remained  united,  and  held  on  the  even  tenor  of  its  way. 
It  has  had  its  seasons  of  prosperity,  and  its  days  of  trial. 
But  in  all  its  various  conditions  it  has  continued  one  body, 
with  "  one  Lord,  one  faith,  and  one  baptism."  God  grant  that 
it  may  thus  continue,  and  that  all  its  members  from  generation 
to  generation  may  ''  keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of 
peace." 

Jonathan  Brewster  was  chosen  deacon  of  this  church  Sep- 
tember 15,  1867.  He  is  a  lineal  descendant  of  one  of  the  same 
name  who  held  that  oflice  in  the  early  history  of  the  church. 
Lafayette  Stevens  was  chosen  deacon,  December  28,  1870. 
Thus  is  the  promise  fulfilled  to  this  church  "instead  of  thy 
fathers  shall  be  thy  children." 

The  church  at  South  Worthington,  after  having  retained 
its  connection  with  the  Wesley  an  s  for  a  series  of  years,  has  at 
length  been  reunited  with  the  J^ew  England  conference  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  It  has,  hence,  for  a  few 
years  past,  been  supplied  with  preachers  from  that  body. 
The  following  ministers  have  recently  been  stationed  there, 
w^ho  have  acceptably  performed  the  duties  of  their  office,  to 
wit:  Kev.  Messrs.  E.  B.  Morgan,  L.  A.  Bosworth,  W.  Gor- 
don, ]Sr.  H.  Martin,  Wm.  Adams,  J.  W.  Cole.  Since  the  re- 
turn to  the  conference,  this  church  has  increased  in  numbers 
and  general  prosperity.  Some  seasons  of  religious  interest 
have  been  enjoyed  there.  One  of  the  most  extensive  and 
powerful  of  these,  was  in  1873,  when  a  large  number  profess- 
edly commenced  a  new  life.  This  church  has  proved  a  power 
for  good  in  that  section  of  the  town.  The  social,  moral, 
and  religious  character  and  interests  of  the  people,  have  been 
greatly  improved  thereby.  May  this  good  influence  continue 
until  all  shall  go  on  unto  perfection. 


68  ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY   OF   WORTHINGTON. 

lu  conclusion  it  is  proper  to  remark  that  in  this  town  there 
has  never  been  an}^  marked  sectarian  strife.  Though  there 
have  always  been  diversities  of  religious  views  and  practices, 
the  prevailing  sentiment  has  continually  been  that  every  one 
had  a  right  to  his  own  opinion,  and  to  worship  God  according 
to  the  dictates  of  his  own  conscience,  accountable  alone  to 
him  who  is  Lord  of  the  conscience.  While  each  has  claimed 
this  right  for  himself,  he  has  cheerfully  conceded  it  to  others. 
The  result  of  this  has  been  manifest  harmony  of  feeling  and 
action  throughout  the  town.  May  this  unity  of  spirit  be  pre- 
served unto  the  end. 


SECULAR   HISTORY 


OF   THE 


Town  of  Worthington 


From  1853  to  1874, 

GIVING  THE  WAR  RECORD  OF  THE  TOWN  FROM  1861  TO  1865,  AND 
THE  RECORD  OF  THE  CENTENNIAL  CELEBRATION  OF  1868. 


BY   C.   K.    BK,E^SVSTER« 


DEDICATION 


Decoration  Day,  May,  1874. 
When  the  ISTation  pays  its  floral  tributes  to  the  graves  of 
her  heroes,  when  silver-tongued  raen  throughout  this  fair  land, 
echo  their  brave  deeds,  and  review  their  history,  I  pay  my 
humble  tribute.  'Tis  not  of  flowers.  'Tis  not  of  eloquent 
words.  'Tis  a  frail  historic  wreath,  woven  in  my  leisure 
hours  from  recorded  facts.  I  inscribe  it  to  the  memory  of 
John  Jay  Bisbee,  schoolmate,  neighbor,  friend,  whose  j^oung 
life  went  out  upon  his  country's  altar,  and  the  brave  soldiers 
who  went  forth  from  Worthington  —  never  to  return  — the 
honored  dead  —  and  commit  it  to  the  care,  and  charitable 
criticism  of  my  fellow  towns-people. 

AUTHOR. 


PREFACE, 


"  Times  change,  and  we  change  with  them." 

The  age  when  it  was  a  great  undertaking  to  make  a  journey  to  Boston  or 
Albany,  is  a  thing  of  the  past ;  a  by-gone  fact  worthy  of  record  and  remem- 
brance.* To-day  it  is  but  a  trifling  affair  to  make  such  a  journey,  and 
could  the  fathers  of  that  day  be  told  that  a  citizen  of  Worthington  could 
start  out  upon  a  Monday  morning,  and  witness  the  sunset  from  the  "  Golden 
City"  of  San  Francisco,  upon  the  following  Saturday,  with  as  little  effort  and 
time  as  then  was  used  to  go  to  Boston  and  return  ;  or  that  matters  of  diplo- 
macy concocted  in  European  capitols,  would  be  analyzed  and  considered  on 
this  side  of  the  Atlantic,  within  twenty-four  hours  j  or  that  the  doings  of  our 
highest  executive,  legislative  and  judicial  tribunals  at  our  national  capitol 
would  be  habitually  read  all  over  this  broad  land  upon  the  succeeding  day, 
they  would  look  upon  it  with  incredulous  astonishment.  So,  while  nature 
by  her  constant  changes  has  been  making  history,  science  has  by  no  means 
been  idle. 

Nations  agitated  by  civil  war  have  been  overturned  and  overturned  until 
long-cherished  principles  and  institutions  derogatory  to  the  best  interests  of 
humanity  have  been  buried  in  the  past.  Millions  of  people  bound  in  pris- 
ons of  ignorance  and  superstition,  worse  than  of  iron  bars,  have  been  lifted  into 
an  atmosphere  of  freedom  and  progression,  bringing  forth  new  national  hopes, 
and  promising  a  much  grander  destiny. 

'^The  battle  of  the  giants,"  so  called-in  which  Abraham  Lincoln  and 
Stephen  A.  Douglas,  in  1858,  so  ably  defended  and  expounded  the  princi- 
ples of  the  two  political  parties  of  che  nation,  the  one  clamoring  for  the 
perpetuation  of  slavery,  with  the  government  at  his  back ;  the  other  boldly 
and  persistently  denouncing  it  as  a  great  moral  wrong,  and  a  stumbling- 
block  to  our  national  prosperity,  in  which  the  principal  features  discussed 
were  the  "Missouri  Compromise,"  "Squatter  Sovereignty,"  "Kansas  Le- 
compton  Constitution,"  and  "  Bred  Scott  decision,"  was  but  the  precursor 
of  the  greater  battle  of  1860,  when  the  nation  joined  issue,  and  the  two  char- 

*  See  Eice's  History. 

10 


74  PREFACE. 

acters  mentioned  were  tbe  political  standard-bearers  of  the  antagonistic  par- 
ties. A  political  revolution  was  the  result.  The  power  of  governmental 
machinery  and  patronage  was  changed  from  the  pro-slavery  to  the  anti-slav- 
ery party.  All  the  ingenuity,  sophistry  and  magnanimity  that  Lincoln  and 
his  compeers  could  conceive  and  offer,  was  not  sufficient  to  assuage  the  dis- 
appointed spirit  of  "Southern  Chivalry."  The  "watchword"  "  Rule  or 
Ruin,"  that  boomed  forth  at  Fort  Sumter,  was  reverberated  all  through  the 
Southern  States.  Blood  was  up,  and  blood  alone  could  quench  the  fire  that 
burned  with  intensest  fury.  Four  years  of  desolating  war  overcast  the  sky 
of  national  hope  and  promise ;  which  shook  the  nation  from  center  to  cir- 
cumference, holding  in  fearful  suspense  the  subjects  of  the  land.  Vacant 
chairs  and  soldiers'  graves  all  over  this  land  testify  of  it.  But  they  testify 
not  in  vain,  for  at  length  the  rainbow  of  peace  and  hope  broke  asunder 
the  blood-tinged  clouds,  lighting  order  from  chaos,  and  peace  from  war. 
Grand  results  were  achieved.  Democratic  government  received  a  new  birth. 
Four  million  slaves  were  freed  from  a  degrading  bondage.  The  nation  again 
cemented  with  the  best  blood  of  the  land  upon  broader  principles  of  freedom 
and  humanity.  In  this  great  strife,  Worthington  would  not  have  been  true 
to  herself,  or  the  history  of  her  fathers,  had  she  not  acted  well  her  part. 

To  make  a  record  of  the  soldiers  who  went  forth  from  among  us ;  the 
brave  lives  sacrificed  in  the  cause ;  the  treasure  freely  handed  forth,  has 
been  the  principal  incentive  to  this  brief  work  of  the  Author. 

The  first  formal  action  by  the  town  was  taken  at  a  town-meeting,  May  20, 
1861,  when  the  town  voted  "to  authorize  the  Selectmen  to  borrow  such 
sums  of  money  as  may  be  necessary  to  assist  volunteers  and  their  families 
when  it  is  wanted,  to  any  amount  not  exceeding  two  thousand  dollars." 

August  4,  1862. — x\t  a  town-meeting,  the  town  voted  'Ho  raise  twelve 
hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  to  be  paid  to  the  ten  volunteers  called  for  from  the 
town,  being  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars  each." 

August  28,  1862. — The  town  voted  "  to  raise  by  tax  a  sum  sufficient  to 
pay  the  nine  months'  volunteers,  one  hundred  dollars  each." 

September  1,  1862. — The  town  voted  "that  the  Treasurer  be  authorized 
to  borrow  a  sufficient  sura  to  pay  each  of  the  nine  months'  volunteers  one 
hundred  dollars,  until  such  time  as  the  tax  money  be  collected." 

September  29,  1862. — The  town  voted  "  to  authorize  the  Treasurer  to 
borrow  one  thousand  dollars  to  pay  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars  to 
each  of  the  three  years'  volunteers." 
'  September  28,  1863. — The  town  voted  "to  pay  its  proportion  of  the  tax 
apportioned  and  assessed,  to  reimburse  sums  paid  as  bounties  to  volunteers, 
agreeable  to  the  9th  Section  of  the  218th  Chapter  of  the  acts  of  the  Legisla- 
ture of  1863." 

September  12,  1864. — The  town  voted  "  to  raise  one  hundred  and  twenty- 


PKEFAOE.  75 

five  dollars  as  bounty  for  each  volunteer  to  be  obtained  on  the  quota  of  the 
town,  under  the  last  call  of  the  President." 

May  22,  1865. — The  town  voted  "  that  the  Treasurer  be  authorized  and 
directed  to  borrow  on  the  credit  of  the  town,  the  sum  of  sixty-five  hundred 
and  sixty-three  dollars  for  the  purpose  of  refunding  the  several  sums  contrib- 
uted by  individuals,  or  suras  that  were  obtained  in  any  other  way  which 
have  been  paid  and  applied  for  the  purpose  of  filling  the  several  quotas  of 
the  town  of  Worthington,  agreeable  to  an  act  of  the  Legislature  approved, 
April  25,  1865." 


LIST   OF   SOLDIERS 

WHO    ENLISTED    FROM    WORTHINGTON     TO     SERVE    IN    THE    WAR 

OF    THE    REBELLION,    WITH    THE    COMPANY    AND    REGIMENT 

TO    WHICH    THEY   BELONGED. 


Charles  Adams,  Company  D,  10th  Regiment  Massachusetts  Volunteers, 
discharged  May  26,  1863,  for  disability ;  afterwards  enlisted  in  the  4th 
Regiment  Cavalry,  and  served  until  the  close  of  the  war. 

Martin  Sherman,  Company  1, 15th  Regiment,  (deserted  November,  1863.) 

Abel  C.  Kenney,  Sergeant  Company  A,  27th  Regiment,  died  in  Black- 
shire,  Ga.,  while  a  prisoner  ;  date  of  death  unknown. 

William  W.  Ward,  Sergeant  Company  A,  27th  Regiment,  discharged 
September  6,  ]  862,  for  disability  ;  enlisted  again  as  Sergeant  in  Company  C, 
5 2d  Regiment,  and  served  his  term  of  enlistment. 

Edmund  T.  Drake,  Corporal  Company  A,  27th  Regiment,  served  his 
term  of  enlistment. 

Frank  Quinn,  Corporal  Company  A,  27th  Regiment,  drowned  January 
1,  1862,  atNewbern,  N.  C. 

Edgar  C.  Brewster,  Company  A,  27th  Regiment,  served  his  term  of  en- 
listment. 

Robert  Canfield,  Company  A,  27th  Regiment,  died  October  23, 1863,  at 
Washington,  D.  C. 

Matthew  C.  Clair,  Company  A,  27th  Regiment,  served  his  term  of  enlist- 
ment. 

Samuel  J.  Dunning,  Company  A,  27th  Regiment,  killed  March  14, 1862, 
at  the  battle  of  Newbern,  N.  C. 

Brainard  E.  Taylor,  Company  A,  27th  Regiment,  died  April  17,  1865, 
at  Danville,  Ga. 

James  F.  Thayer,  Company  A,  27th  Regiment,  died  July  23,  1864,  at 
Anderson ville,  Ga. 

William  B.  Watts,  Company  A,  27th  Regiment,  served  his  term  of  en- 
listment. 

Ansel  Adams,  Company   K,  27th  Regiment,  discharged   April  5,  1862, 


78  SECULAR   HISTORY    OF    THE 

for   disability,  afterwards    enlisted  in    Company    K,  46th    Regiment,   and 
served  his  term  of  enlistment. 

Edward  P.  Meacham,  Company  K,  27th  Regiment,  died    October   20, 

1864,  at  Millen,  Ga. 

Miles  G.  Smith,  Company  K,  27th  Regiment,  discharged  May  3,  1862, 
for  disability. 

Isaac  L.  Percival,  Company  F,  3 2d  Regiment.     The  only   man  drafted 
from  Worthington,  that  entered  the  service.     He  was  mustered  in  July  20, 
1863,  and  served  with  his  Regiment  until  the  close  of  the  war,  when  he  was 
honorably  discharged. 

George  A.  Robinson,  Sergeant  Company  I,  34th  Regiment,  served  his 
term  of  enlistment. 

Russell  Bartlett,  Company  I,  34th  Regiment,  served  his  term  of  enlist- 
ment. 

Edward  Meacham,  Corporal  Company  B,  34th  Regiment,  served  his  term 
of  enlistment. 

Sereno  G.  Gloyd,  Company  K,  34th  Regiment,  died  October  5,  1864,  at 
Winchester,  Va. 

Franklin  Myers,  Company  D,  34th  Regiment,  died  February  28,  1865, 
at  Annapolis,  Md. 

Ezra  P.  Cowles,  Sergeant  Company  D,    37th  Regiment,  killed  April  9, 

1865,  at  the  battle  of  Sailor's  Creek,  Ya. 

Doras  Collier,  Company  D,  37th  Regiment,  died  October  21,  1862,  at 
Downesville,  Md. 

John  J.  Bisbee,  Company  H,  42d  Regiment,  died  October  30,  1864,  at 
Alexandria,  Va.  The  only  one  in  his  company  who  did  not  survive  the  time 
of  enlistment. 

Russell  H.  Conwell,  Captain  Company  F,  46th  Regiment,  served  his 
term  of  enlistment ;  afterwards  captain  in  the  2d  Regiment  Heavy  Artillery. 

William  C.  Higgins,  Corporal  Company  F,  46th  Regiment,  served  his  term 
of  enlistment. 

Daniel  N.  Cole,  Company  F,  46th  Regiment,  re-enlisted  May  30,  1868, 
in  2d  Regiment  Heavy  Artillery,  died  July  29,  1865,  at  Smithville,  N.  C. 

Seth  Cole,  Company    F,  46th  Regiment,  served  his  term  of  enlistment. 

Charles  H.  Conwell,  Company  F,  46th  Regiment,  served  his  term  of  en- 
listment. 

Isaac  C.  Drake,  Company  F,  46th  Regiment,  died  June  27,  1863,  at 
Newbern,  N.  C. 

Jotham  Drake,  Company  F,  46th  Regiment,  died  June  10,  1863,  at 
Newbern,  N.  C. 

Edwin  Dodge,  Company   F,  46th  Regiment,  served  his  term  of  enlistment. 

Jonathan  S.  Higgins,  Company  F,  46th  Regiment,  served  his  term  of  en- 
listment. 


TOWN    OF    WORTHINGTON.  79 

Elisha  C.  Tower,  1st  Lieutenant  Company  K,  46tli  Regiment,  served  his 
term  of  enlistment. 

Charles  D.  Hollis,  Sergeant  Company  K,  46tli  Regiment,  served  his  term 
of  enlistment. 

Cyrus    M.  Parsons,  Sergeant  Company  K,  46th   Regiment,  served  his 
term  of  enlistment. 

Alfred  Kilbourn,  Corporal  Company  K,  46th  Regiment,  served  his  term 
of  enlistment. 

Castanus  Brown,   Corporal  Company  K,  46th  Regiment,  served  his  term 
of  enlistment. 

Edwin  N.  Carr,  Corporal  Company  K,  46th  Regiment,  re-enlisted  jMay 
30,  1863,  in  2d  Regiment  Heavy  Artillery,  (but  never  mustered  in). 

Davis  Bartlett,  Company  K,  46th  Regiment,  served  his  term  of  enlist- 
ment. 

Henry  Benton,  Company  K,  46th  Regiment,  served  his  term  of  enlistment. 

Levi  J.  Olds,  Company  K,  46th  Regiment,  re-enlisted  June  1,  1863,  in 
2d  Regiment  Heavy  Artillery,  and  served  until  the  close  of  the  war. 

Levi  Blackman,  Company  K,  46th  Regiment,  served  his  term  of  enlist- 
ment. 

Ezra  M.  Brackett,  Company  K,  46th  Regiment,  served  his  term  of  enlist- 
ment. 

Uriah  Brown,  Company  K,  46th  Regiment,  served  his  term  of  enlistment. 

Henry  W.  Burke,  Company  K,  46th  Regiment,  served  his  term  of  enlist- 
ment. 

James  K.   Burr,  Company  K,  46th  Regiment,  died   March  15,  1863,  at 
Newborn,  N.  C. 

William  Cody,  Company  K,  46th  Regiment,  served  his  term  of  enlistment. 

Emerson  B.   Cushman,  Company  K,  46th  Regiment,  discharged  June  23, 
1863,  for  disability. 

Timothy  Donahue,   Company  K,  46th  Regiment,  served  his  term  of  en- 
listment. 

John  M.  Kelly,  Company  K,  46th  Regiment,  discharged  May  80,  1863, 
for  disability. 

John  D.   Pease,  Company  K,  46th  Regiment,  served  his  term  of  enlist- 
ment. 

Dwight  L.  Prentice,  Company  K,  46th  Regiment,  served  his  term  of  en- 
listment. 

Charles  L.  Randall,   Company  K,  46th  Regiment,  died  June  23,  1863, 
at  Newbern,  N.  C. 

Hiram  Russell,  Company  K,  46th  Regiment,  died  June    30,  1863,  at 
Beaufort,  N.  C. 

Jerome  Smith,  Company  K,  46th  Regiment,  discharged  June  23,  1863, 
for  disability. 


80  SECULAR    HISTORY    OF    WORTHINGTON. 

James  Starkweather,  Company  K,  46th  Regiment,  served  his  term  of  en- 
listment. 

''^Anson  F.  Stevens,  Company  K,  46th  Regiment,  served  his  term  of  en- 
listment. 

George  Thayer,  Company  K,  46th  Regiment,  served  his  term  of  enlist- 
ment. 

Lyman  J.  Tower,  Company  K,  46th  Regiment,  re-enlisted  June  1,  1863, 
in  2d  Regiment  Heavy  Artillery,  (but  never  mustered  in). 

John  Wright,  Company  K,  46th  Regiment,  served  his  term  of  enlistment. 

]Siote.— The  lOtli,  IStli,  27tli,  32d,  34tli  and  3Tth  Regiments  enlisted  for  three  years  or  during 
the  war.  The  42d  Regiment  enlisted  for  one  hundred  days.  The  46th  and  52d  Regiments 
enlisted  for  nine  months. 

*May  2,  1865.— Anson  F.  Stevens  was  commissioned  by  Gov.  John  A.  Andrew,  as  First 
Lieutenant  of  the  Company  in  Military-Company  District  No.  230,  of  the  State  Militia.  He 
was  subsequently  promoted  to  a  Captaincy,  and  commissioned  June  4,  1867,  by  Gov.  Alex.  H. 
Bullock,  as  Captain  of  the  78th  Unattached  Company  of  Infantry,  in  the  1st  Brigade  and  1st 
Division  of  State  Militia. 


LIST  OF  SOLDIERS 

WHO    ENLISTED    FEOM,    AND    WERE    ACCREDITED    TO    OTHER 

PLACES,  WHOSE   HOMES   HAD   BEEN  IN  WORTHINGTON, 

AND   WHOSE   REMAINS   LIE   BURIED   IN   OUR 

CEMETERIES. 


Clarance  p.  Hewitt,  Company  H,  27th  Regiment  Massachusetts  Vol- 
unteers, served  his  term  of  enlistment,  died  July  22, 1865,  from  disease  con- 
tracted in  the  army. 

John  C.  Adams,  Quartermaster  Sergeant,  86th  Illinois  Regiment,  died  at 
Nashville,  Tenn.,  February  19,  1863. 

Wm.  W.  Adams,  Company  I,  61st  Regiment  New  York  Volunteers, 
died  at  Alexandria,  Va.,  December  26,  1861. 

John  Q.  Ring,  Company  D,  2d  Regiment  Heavy  Artillery,  Massachu- 
setts Volunteers,  died  March  13,  1864,  at  Beaufort,  N.  C. 

According  to  the  report  made  by  the  Selectmen  in  1866,  Worthington 
furnished  eighty-six  men  for  the  war.  Gen.  Schouler,  in  his  history  of 
Massachusetts  in  the  civil  war,  says,  ' '  Worthington  filled  its  quota  upon 
every  call  made  by  the  President,  and  at  the  end  of  the  war  had  a  surplus 
of  nine  over  and  above  all  demands ;  it  must  have  furnished  about  one  hun- 
dred and  two  men."  The  discrepancy  must  occur  in  this  way,  that  the 
Selectmen  counted  those  who  actually  entered  the  service  to  the  credit  of 
the  town — the  Adjutant  General  the  enlistments,  substitutes,  re-enlistments, 
and  those  who  were  drafted  and  paid  commutation  money. 

The  amount  raised  by  the  town,  agreeable  to  vote  of  May  22,  1865,  to 
pay  the  war  expenses,  was  $6,563.00. 

The  amount  paid  as  State  Aid  during  the  years  1861,  1862,  1863,  1864 
and  1865,  was  $4,398.42. 
11 


A    LIST 


OF  THE 


SELECTMEN  AND  PHYSICIANS  OF  THE  TOWN 

FROM    1853    TO    1874. 


SELECTMEN. 

1854 — Jotham  Clarke,  Wra.  H.  Bates,  Ethan  C.  Ring,  James  Bisbee.* 

1855— Wm.  H.  Bates,  Wm.  Cole,  John  N.  Benton. 

1856— Wm.  Cole,  John  N.  Benton,  E.  C.  Porter. 

1857 — John  N.  Benton,  John  Adams,  Wm.  A.  Bates. 

1858— A.  D.  Perry,  A.  B.  Curtis,  Wm.  Starkweather. 

1859— A.  D.  Perry,  A.  B.  Curtis,  Wm.  Starkweather. 

1860 — Horace  Cole,  Wm.  A.  Bates,  Russell  Bartlctt. 

1861 — Horace  Cole,  Wm.  A.  Bates,  Russell  Bartlett. 

1862 — John  Adams,  Charles  F.  Cole,  Aaron  Stevens. 

1863 — John  Adams,  Oren  Stone,  A.  B.  Curtis. 

1864 — John  Adams,  Oren  Stone,  A.  B.  Curtis. 

1865 — John  Adams,  Oren  Stone,  M.  A.  Bates. 

1866 — John  Adams,  Oren  Stone.  M.  A.  Bates. 

1867 — John  Adams,  F.  J.  Robinson,  M.  A.  Bates. 

1868— Wra.  Cole,  F.  J.  Robinson,  E.  C.  Porter. 

1869— Wm.  Cole,  F.  J.  Robinson,  E.  C.  Porter. 

1870— Wm.  Cole,  Edwin  S.  Burr,  Alfred  Kilbourn. 

1871— Wm.  Cole,  Edwin  S.  Burr,  Alfred  Kilbourn. 

1872 — A.  D    Perry,  M.  A.  Bates,  Jonathan  Brewster. 

1873 — A.  D.  Perry,  M.  A.  Bates,  Jonathan  Brewster. 

*At  the  annual  town  meeting,  Marcli  6,  1854,  Jotham  Clarke  was  chosen  first  Selectman. 
March  27th  he  died.  James  Bisbee  was  chosen  to  fill  the  vacancy  at  the  adjourned  meeting, 
April  3d,  when  the  following  resolution  was  unanimously  adopted:  "  Eesolved,  That  in  view 
of  the  recent  and  unexpected  death  of  Capt.  Jotham  Clarke,  the  esteemed  Chairman  of  our 
Board  of  Selectmen,  the  town  hereby  express  their  sense  of  the  loss  they  have  thereby  sus- 
tained, and  tender  to  his  bereaved  family  their  sincere  sympathy." 


TOWN    OF   WORTHINGTON.  83 

PHYSICIANS. 

Dr.  Abner  M.  Smith,  Dr.  Erastus  C.  Coy, 

Dr.  Arthur  G.  Pierce,  Dr.  Chester  M.  Barton, 

Dr.  James  D.  Seymour. 

The  Representatives  to  General  Court,  previous   to  1857,  were  elected 
from  the  town  under  the  provisions  of  the  12th  Article  of  Amendments  to 
the  Constitution  of  the  State,  adopted  in  the  year  1836.     The  following 
Representatives  were  chosen  under  said  provisions : 
Abner  M.  Smith  in  1853, 
Granville  B.  Hall  in  1854, 
John  Adams  in  1856. 

In  1857  an  Amendment  to  the  Constitution  was  adopted,  limiting  the 
number  of  Representatives  in  the  State  to  two  hundred  and  forty,  to  be  ap- 
portioned to  the  several  counties  according  to  their  relative  number  of  legal 
voters,  the  counties  to  be  divided  by  the  County  Commissioners  into  repre- 
sentative districts.  Worthington,  with  Cummington,  Goshen,  Plainfield  and 
Middlefield,  comprised  Hampshire  County  Representative  District  No.  3. 

Wm.  H.  Bates  was  chosen  in  1857  to  represent  the  District. 

Rev.  J.  H.  Bisbee  was  chosen  in  1863  to  represent  the  District. 

Marcus  A.  Bates  was  chosen  in  1868  to  represent  the  District. 

Since  the  formation  of  this  District,  the  County  has  been  redistricted, 
and  this  District  established  as  Hampshire  County  Representative  District 
No.  2,  with  the  addition  of  the  town  of  Chesterfield. 

Elisha  H.  Brewster  was  chosen  in  1871  to  the  State  Senate  from  the 
*^  Berkshire  and  Hampshire"  Senatorial  District. 

Elisha  H.  Brewster  was  chosen  in  1873  to  the  Governor's  Council  from 
the  8th  Councilor  District,  embracing  the  Counties  of  Hampshire,  Hampden 
and  Berkshire. 

Population  of  Worthington  in  1850,  1134. 
Population  of  Worthington  in  1855,  1112. 
Population  of  Worthington  in  1860,  1046. 
Population  of  Worthington  in  1865,  925. 
Population  of  Worthington  in  1870,  860. 


BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCH 


OF 


GETST.    JA.M:ES    C.    RICE. 


James  C.  Rice  was  born  in  Worthington,  in  the  year  1828.  He  was  ed- 
ucated at  Yale  College,  where  he  graduated  in  the  class  of  1854.  During 
his  college  course  he  wrote  a  Secular  History  of  Worthington,  which  he  in- 
scribed to  the  old  people  of  the  town, — a  work  valuable  as  a  matter  of 
record  and  history.  Upon  leaving  college  he  took  charge  of  a  seminary  at 
Natchez,  Miss.,  giving  such  spare  moments  as  he  had  at  command  to  the 
study  of  the  law,  having  decided  to  make  this  his  profession.  He  returned 
to  the  North  the  following  year,  and  entered  the  office  of  Theodore  Sedg- 
wick, Esq.,  in  New  York  City.  Not  long  after,  he  was  admitted  to  practice 
in  the  courts  of  the  State  of  New  York.  He  was  there  devoting  himself  to 
his  profession  when  the  first  call  was  made  for  volunteers  to  defend  the  flag 
of  the  Union.  He  immediately  offered  himself  as  a  private  in  one  of  the 
New  York  regiments,  but  so  rapidly  were  the  ranks  then  filling  up,  that  the 
regiment  was  found  to  have  a  surplus  of  men,  and  he  was  transferred  to 
the  39th  N.  Y.  S.  V.,  known  as  the  "  Garibaldi  Guards."  He  received  a 
commission  as  First  Lieutenant,  and  was  appointed  Adjutant  of  this,  then 
splendid  regiment.  The  regiment  was  early  in  the  field,  but  from  lack  of 
discipline  did  not  meet  the  expectation  of  its  friends.  Insubordination  soon 
began  to  manifest  itself  among  the  men,  and  on  one  occasion  Lieutenant  Rice 
took  such  a  determined  and  courageous  stand,  as  to  successfully  quell  a 
formidable  mutiny.  For  his  gallant  conduct  on  this  occasion  he  was  pro- 
moted to  a  captaincy.  With  this  regiment  Captain  Rice  was  engaged  in  the 
first  battle  of  "  Bull  Run."  Soon  after,  he  was  appointed  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  by  Governor  Morgan  of  New  York,  and  transferred  to  the  44th 
New  Y^'ork  Regiment.  The  following  reply  to  a  speech  attending  a  sword 
presentation  soon  after  his  appointment  as  Lieutenant-Colonel,  will  show  the 
spirit  with  which  he  entered  upon  the  active  and  earnest  service  which  termi- 
nated with  his  life.     ''  In  the  sentiments  which  you  have  so  eloquently  and 


TOWN   OF   WORTHINGTON.  85 

feelingly  expressed  in  regard  to  the  war,  I  fully  concur.  I  have  long  and 
confidently  believed  that  God,  looking  down  from  His  eternal  throne  of 
justice  upon  the  American  people  from  the  formation  of  our  Government, 
and  despairing,  after  a  long  and  faithful  trial,  that  justice  and  right  would 
ever  be  done  to  the  down  trodden  slave,  either  by  the  North  or  the  South, 
at  last  has  taken  their  emancipation  upon  Himself.  I  believe  that  it  is 
God's  Divine  purpose,  having  used  the  wrath  of  the  South  to  commence  this 
war,  to  cause  that  wrath  to  praise  Him  by  the  freedom  of  every  slave.  And 
I  also  confidently  believe  that  this  war,  under  his  Providence,  will  be  made 
just  severe  enough  to  effect  this  object,  and  that  it  will  be  ended  by  God 
only  when  we  as  individuals,  both  North  and  South,  shall  see  and  realize 
this  Divine  object.     Be  assured 

'  There  is  a  Divinity  that  shapes  our  ends, 
'  Rough  hew  them  as  we  will.' 

Bearing  no  unkind  or  ungenerous  spirit  towards  the  South,  but  at  the  same 
time  determined  to  defend  my  country  to  the  last,  on  this  Divinity,  in  con- 
ducting the  war  to  a  happy  and  glorious  peace,  I  alone  rely." 

Soon  after,  he  was  promoted  to  the  command  of  the  regiment,  and  led  it 
through  the  fighting  of  the  seven  days'  battles  before  Richmond,  in  the 
campaign  of  1862.  At  the  battle  of  Gettysburg  he  had  charge  of  a  brigade, 
and  so  gallantly  and  skillfully  led  his  command  as  to  receive,  upon  the  recom- 
mendation of  Generals  Meade,  Hooker  and  Butterfield,  a  Brigadier-Gen- 
eral's commission  from  President  Lincoln,  dating  from  the  day  of  the  battle 
of  Gettysburg.  After  his  appointment  as  General,  he  was  assigned  the  com- 
mand of  a  brigade,  and  had  a  part  in  all  the  battles  of  the  ^'  Army  of  the 
Potomac,"  till  the  fatal  bullet  closed  his  earthly  career  at  the  close  of  a 
desperate  day's  fight  at  Spottsylvania,  Ya.  It  is  recorded  that  he  was  en- 
gaged in  twenty  battles,  always  ready  to  lead  where  duty  called.  While 
in  camp  near  Culpepper,  Va.,  at  a  religious  meeting  of  the  soldiers,  he 
addressed  them  in  the  following  patriotic  and  stirring  words  :  "  You  have 
been  told  how  the  soldiers  of  the  Union  are  thought  of  at  the  North,  how 
they  are  cared  for,  loved,  looked  up  to.  You  know  how  in  your  own  homes 
a  soldier  of  the  Eevolution  was  reverenced,  because  he  fought  in  the  great 
battles  which  first  gave  us  liberty,  but  your  reward  will  be  greater  and  more 
enduring  than  theirs.  When  this  war  is  over,  and  you  go  home,  you  will 
be  received  with  shouts  and  hosannas  and  tears  of  joy ;  you  will  be  honored 
and  cherished  as  man  never  was  before  you  in  the  world.  Your  children, 
and  children's  children,  to  the  latest  generation,  will  make  it  their  proudest 
boast  that  their  fathers  fought  in  this  great  and  holy  war.  You  will  found 
families  in  the  land  ;  the  greatest  in  the  land  will  be  proud  to  say,  ''  My  an- 
cestors served  in  the  great  war,"  and  if  we  die  on  the  field  of  battle,  as 
many  of  us  must,  do  you  think  we  shall  be  forgotten  ?     Ah,  don't  believe 


S6  SECULAR   HISTORY   OF   THE 

it !  When  the  war  is  over,  be  sure  every  smallest  ioeident  of  its  history 
will  be  traced,  every. name  will  be  recorded,  every  brave  deed  will  be 
searched  out,  and  for  a  century  to  come  your  trials,  your  sufferings,  your 
constancy  and  bravery,  will  be  a  chosen  theme  of  the  most  finished  scholars, 
and  the  greatest  writers  our  country  produces.  No  act  of  ours  will  escape 
the  vigilance  of  that  multitude  of  busy  writers  who  will,  in  every  State  and 
every  town,  search  out  our  names  and  the  story  of  our  services,  to  make  them 
known  to  the  nation,  which  will  call  us  fathers  of  a  redeemed  country,  the 
soldiers  of  a  greater  revolution.  Ah,  it  is  a  proud  thing  to  fight  in  this 
war  !  Our  reward  will  be  great.  Let  us  live  such  lives  that  God  will  love 
us,  and  that  our  countrymen  may  be  proud  of  us." 

General  Rice  fell  mortally  wounded  while  leading  his  troops,  Tuesday, 
May  10,  1864,  in  the  series  of  battles  in  Virginia.  His  last  words,  "  Turn 
me  over  and  let  me  die  with  my  face  to  the  foe,"  have  become  historic  in 
song  and  biography.  His  funeral  was  attended  at  the  Madison  Square 
Church,  in  New  York  City,  of  which  he  was  a  member.  It  was  imposing 
in  magnitude  and  character.  Many  distinguished  military  officers  were 
present,  among  whom  were  General  Anderson,  the  hero  of  Fort  Sumpter, 
Major  General  Dis,  and  Brigadier-General  Hays.  From  the  tribute  then 
uttered  by  the  pastor,  Rev.  Dr.  Adams,  we  extract  these  words : 

"  The  scene  before  us  needs  no  interpreter.  It  is  solemn  and  sub- 
lime beyond  all  speech.  Solemn  and  sublime  because  we  bend  over 
the  bier  of  a  true,  brave,  Christian  soldier,  who  died  in  the  discharge 
of  his  duty,  at  the  head  of  his  column,  full  of  faith  in  his  Redeemer 
and  the  cause  of  his  country.  Six  years  since,  in  this  very  church, 
he  who  now  lies  here  confessed  Christ  and  partook  of  the  commun- 
ion. Eighteen  months  since  he  stood  before  this  altar  and  was  married, 
going  forth  with  only  a  sky  of  blue  and  gold.  Upon  that  identical  spot  he 
lies  now,  on  his  way  to  an  honored  grave.  The  circumstances  of  this  occa- 
sion in  themselves  are  eloquent.  Self-sacrifice  is  eloquent ;  devotion  to  the 
cause  of  God  and  our  country  is  eloquent ;  death  is  eloquent  Who  would 
not  rather  be  in  that  coffin,  covered  with  the  emblem  of  our  nationality,  a 
true  patriot  and  a  Christian,  than  be  walking  alive,  a  supporter  of  this 
wicked  rebellion  against  the  best  government  the  world  ever  saw  ?  " 

His  remains  were  conveyed  to  Albany.  The  following  general  order  was 
issued  by  Governor  Seymour  : 

General  Head-Quaeteks,  State  of  New  York,  ) 
Albany,  May  14,  1864.  f 

I  announce  with  pain  the  loss  of  Gen.  James  C.  Rice.  Young,  brave, 
ardent,  enthusiastic,  he  engaged  in  the  support  of  the  flag  of  his  country, 
and  in  the  suppression  of  the  rebellion  against  the  constitutional  authorities 
as  a  duty  demanding  the  devotion  of  body  and  soul  and  the  willing  sacrifice 


TOWN    OF    WORTHINGTON.  87 

of  life.  Ever  faithful  to  his  trust,  he  was  the  gallant  leader  of  his  com- 
mand, and  in  the  midst  of  a  brilliant  career,  he  fell  upon  the  battle-field, 
leaving  to  his  companions  in  arms,  to  his  friends  and  his  country,  a  character 
of  unsullied  Christian  patriotism.  As  a  mark  of  respect  for  his  memory, 
the  National  Flag  will  be  displayed  at  half-mast  on  the  Capitol,  and  upon  all 
the  arsenals  of  the  State,  on  Monday  the  16th  inst. 

Horatio  Seymour, 
Governor  and  Commander-in-Chief. 
J.  I.  Johnson,  A.  A.  A.  G. 

General  Rice  was  buried  at  Albany,  Jilay  16,  1864,  with  military  honors. 
The  body  was  borne  from  the  State  Capitol  to  the  receiving  vault,  followed 
by  an  imposing  procession,  consisting  of  the  25th  New  York  Regiment,  un- 
der command  of  Colonel  Church,  Governor  Seymour  and  staff  in  uniform, 
members  of  the  Common  Council,  prominent  citizens,  and  personal  friends 
of  the  deceased.  After  the  usual  formalities  attending  a  military  burial,  an 
impressive  address  was  delivered,  closing  with  the  following  lines  written 
and  pronounced  by  Rev.  Dr.  Palmer  : 

"  Rest,  soldier — rest !  thy  weary  task  is  done ; 

Thy  God — thy  country — thou  hast  served  them  well ; 
Thine  is  true  glory — glory  bravely  won ; 

On  lips  of  men  unborn  thy  name  shall  dwell. 

Kest,  patriot- Christian!  thou  hast  early  died, 

But  days  are  measured  best  by  noble  deeds ; 
Brief  though  thy  course,  thy  name  thou  hast  allied 

To  those  of  whom  the  world,  admiring,  reads. 

Rest,  manly  form  !  eternal  love  shall  keep 

Thy  still  repose,  till  breaks  the  final  dawn ; 
Our  Martyr  stays  not  here — he  knew  no  sleep  ; 

On  Death's  dark  shadow  burst  a  cloudless  morn. 

Live  !  live  on  Fame's  bright  scroll,  heroic  friend  : 

Thy  memory,  now,  we  to  her  record  give — 
To  earth  thy  dust ;  our  thoughts  to  Heaven  ascend, 

Where,  with  the  immortals,  thou  dost  ever  live !  '* 

His  was  a  life  singularly  brilliant,  active  and  useful.  Some  who  read 
these  pages  will  remember  his  last  visit  to  Worthington — how  his  face  told 
of  exposure,  and  the  excitement  of  battle ;  how  his  gray  hairs  bespoke  the 
fearful  scenes  and  conflicts  through  which  he  passed;  how  earnestly,  yet' 
sadly,  he  spoke  of  the  war  and  its  issues,  as  though  the  shadows  of  his  des- 
tiny were  then  flitting  across  his  vision.  New  York  proudly  claims  him 
among  her  honored  dead.  We,  too,  claim  him  with  a  just  pride ;  here  lie 
buried  his  ancestors  ;  here  he  was  born  and  reared ;  here  is  the  work  of  his 


88  SECULAR    HISTORY   OF   WORTHINGTON. 

hand,  telling  the  history  of  our  fathers ;  but  his  greatest  work  was  his 
country's ;  his  death  a  nation's  loss ;  his  march  was  the  march  of  a  hero ;  he 
has  halted  to  rest,  and  bivouacked  for  eternity. 

"  Soldier,  rest !  thy  warfare  o'er, 
Sleep  the  sleep  that  knows  not  breaking ; 

Dream  of  battle-fields  no  more, 
Days  of  danger,  nights  of  waking." 


WORTHINGTON 

CENTENNIAL   CELEBRATION, 

-A.TJGHJSX   20tli,   1868, 


The  year  1868  brought  round  the  first  centennial  cycle  of 
the  town's  history.  The  citizens  began  to  bestir  themselves 
with  unanimity  and  enterprise  to  give  the  day  a  fitting 
celebration.  Accordingly  an  organization  was  effected,  com- 
mittees appointed,  money  raised,  and  work  commenced  to 
accomplish  the  desired  result.  A  corresponding  committee 
sent  invitations  to  the  sons  and  daughters  of  Worthington, 
scattered  all  over  the  country,  to  gather  and  fraternize  at  this 
celebration.  The  work  was  entered  upon  with  such  hearti- 
ness and  zeal  that  a  most  complete  success  was  achieved.  It 
was  from  the  first  determined  to  have  everything  free.  This 
was  no  slight  undertaking,  for  it  was  expected  that  several 
thousand  persons  would  be  in  attendance,  and  to  feed  and 
provide  for  such  a  gathering  was  a  task  never  before  attempted 
in  this  region.  Yet  it  was  successfully  accomplished,  and  all 
were  satisfied,  and  the  citizens  of  the  town  received  from  all 
present  most  hearty  thanks  and  praises.  The  weather,  how- 
ever, was  bad.  During  the  morning,  the  clouds  were  of  a 
threatening  character;  the  people,  notwithstanding,  began  to 
assemble,  and  from  nine  to  eleven  o'clock  the  roads  in  all  di- 
rections were  crowded  with  teams.  The  people  gathered  on 
the  common,  near  the  church,  where  it  was  estimated  that 
from  five  to  six  thousand  were  assembled. 

The  first  exercise  of  the  day  was  the  appearance  on  the 
common  of  a  four-horse  wagon,  carrying  twelve  young  ladies, 
dressed  in  white,  representing  the  twelve  school  districts 
12 


90  SECULAR   HISTORY   OF   THE 

of  the  town.  They  bore  banners  inscribed,  "  Our  native 
town,  a  century  old,  but  as  good  as  new."  ''To  the 
memory  of  our  forefathers."  Next  came  a  company  of 
"Rough  and  Ready,"  some  on  horses,  and  some  on  foot, 
bearing  a  banner  inscribed,  "Woman's  rights  one  hundred 
years  ago,  ballot  box  and  breeches."  They  halted  in  front 
of  the  Town  Hall,  where  one  of  their  number,  Mr.  Z.  H. 
Hancock,  sung  the  song  entitled,  "  The  good  old  days  of 
Adam  and  Eve,"  which  called  forth  three  hearty  cheers. 
There  was  considerable  delay  in  organizing  the  procession, 
and  it  did  not  get  under  motion  until  an  hour  after  the 
appointed  time ;  it  first  moved  northward  from  the  church 
across  the  common,  then  southward  to  the  other  end  of  the 
common, — the  "Florence  Brass  Band,"  and  "Bryant's  Mar- 
tial Band,"  heading  the  procession,  under  the  direction  of 
Capt.  Wm.  Starkweather,  chief  marshal  of  the  day,  and  his 
assistants.  The  procession,  a  full  half-mile  in  length,  after 
completing  the  prescribed  route,  brought  up  under  a  spacious 
bower  erected  south  of  the  church,  where  six  long  tables  were 
spread,  capable  of  seating  seventeen  hundred  persons  at  once. 
These  tables  were  loaded  with  the  choicest  provisions  that  the 
citizens  of  Worthington  could  bring,  and  presented  a  most 
tempting  appearance.  At  this  time  the  rain  began  to  fall,  and 
it  was  for  some  time  uncertain  whether  it  was  best  to  proceed 
at  once  with  the  address,  according  to  the  programme,  or  to 
eat  the  dinner  and  make  sure  of  that.  The  latter  course  was 
determined  upon,  partly  because  it  was  seen  to  be  best,  but 
more  because  it  was  seen  to  be  useless  to  attempt  to  satisfy 
such  a  crowd  with  historical  facts,  when  the  more  palatable 
collation,  furnished  by  the  good  ladies  of  the  tow^n,  was  so  pro- 
vokingly  set  before  them.  So,  after  the  Divine  blessing  was 
invoked,  by  Rev.  David  S.  Morgan,  pastor  of  the  Congrega- 
tional church,  the  dinner  was  eaten.  The  tables  furnished  an 
abundance,  and  no  one  had  to  go  away  hungry.  The  dinner 
over,  the  brass  band  gave  some  excellent  music ;  "  Old  Hun- 
dred" was  sung  by  the  entire  audience,  under  the  lead  of 
Professor  Bartlett ;  Rev.  Mr.  Gordon,  pastor  of  the  Methodist 
church  at  South  Worthington,  offered  prayer;  then  E.  H. 
Brewster,  president  of  the  day,  pronounced  the  following  ad- 
dress of  welcome : 


TOWN    OF    WORTHINGTON.  91 


ADDRESS    OF    WELCOME. 


The  histories  of  towns,  like  the  histories  of  nations,  have 
their  marked  eras.  One  hundred  years  ago,  the  citizens  of 
Worthington  were  living  under  a  monarchial  government, 
with  a  provincial  congress  to  make  their  laws.  To-day,  we 
are  living  under  a  republican  form  of  government,  with  the 
representatives  of  a  sovereign  people  to  make  our  rule  of  ac- 
tion. One  century  has  passed  away  since  the  town  of  Wor- 
thington  was  incorporated,  and  we  have  assembled  here  to-day 
to  wait  upon  the  old  century  out,  and  the  new  century  in ;  to 
link  the  past  with  the  future.  The  same  period  of  time  has 
elapsed  since  our  ancestors  organized  this  town,  and  it  is  our 
privilege  at  this  time  to  commemorate  their  acts,  and  to  can- 
vass its  history.  In  the  name,  and  in  behalf  of  the  citizens  of 
the  town  of  Worthington,  we  welcome  you  back  to  this  your 
native  town.  Especially  in  behalf  of  the  ladies  of  Worthing- 
ton, we  welcome  you  to  our  homes.  We  welcome  you  to 
these  your  native  hills.  We  welcome  you  to  the  hospitalities 
of  the  town,  and  to  the  festivities  of  this  occasion.  We  tender 
to  you,  one  and  all,  our  kind  greetings  and  earnest  salutations. 
We  see  around  us  here  to-day,  the  emblem  of  our  nationality. 
While  we  are  canvassing  the  reminiscences  of  the  past,  let  us 
not  forget  the  flag  of  our  country.  That  flag  was  baptized 
with  the  best  blood  of  the  soldiers  of  the  army  of  the  Revolu- 
tion, and  with  the  best  blood  of  the  soldiers  of  the  war  of  the 
Rebellion.  ITow  if  the  present  generation,  and  the  genera- 
tions that  may  come  after  us  shall  prove  as  true  and  faithful 
to  that  ensign  of  American  liberty,  as  our  ancestors  were  true 
and  faithful  to  it,  as  our  soldiers  were  true  and  faithful  to  it, 
then  we  may  confidently  hope  that  other  centennial  celebra- 
tions may  be  had  down  to  the  latest  posterity.  May  the 
seeds  of  fraternal  union  be  sown  in  the  hearts  of  this  people 
to-day,  that  may  unite  us  in  one  common  purpose,  to  build  up 
a  record  of  the  town  more  enduring  than  marble  monuments. 

Contrary  to  the  hopes  of  all,  the  rain  increased,  and  it  was 
deemed  useless  to  proceed  further  with  the  outdoor  exercises, 
and  so  an  adjournment  to  the  church  was  carried.  The 
church,  though  the  largest  in  this  section  of  country,  was  in- 


92  SECULAR   HISTORY   OF    THE 

capable  of  accommodating  but  a  small  portion  of  the  multi- 
tude. After  filling  it  to  its  utmost  capacity,  the  following 
Historical  Address,  by  Rev.  J.  H.  Bisbee,  of  Huntington,  for 
twenty-eight  years  pastor  of  the  Congregational  church  at 
"Worthington,  was  delivered. 


HISTORICAL   ADDRESS. 

It  is  fit  and  proper  that  we  should  sometimes  pause  in  the 
career  of  life,  and  review  the  past.  History  is  but  the  record 
of  God's  dealings  with  men,  and  their  conduct  under  his  gov- 
ernment. This  is  true,  not  only  of  the  world  as  a  whole,  but 
equally  of  each  portion  of  it,  however  small ;  as  the  whole  is 
but  the  sum  of  all  its  parts.  Hence  the  children  of  Israel  were 
charged  to  remember  all  the  way  which  the  Lord  their  God 
had  led  them.  We  are  called  to-day  to  review,  not  the  his- 
tory of  the  world,  but  the  record  of  a  single  township ;  and 
here,  not  the  history  of  all  past  time,  but  that  of  a  single  cen- 
tury. Our  circle  is  thus  narrow,  and  our  range  limited.  But 
though  our  fiight  may  not  be  as  lofty  as  if  our  field  were 
wider,  it  may  still,  for  this  hour,  be  as  pleasant  and  profitable. 

The  township  of  Worthington  was  originally  called  Planta- 
tion No.  3.  On  the  second  day  of  June,  1762,  it  was  sold  at 
auction  in  Boston,  to  Aaron  Willard,  for  X1860.  Subse- 
quently it  passed  into  the  possession  of  Col.  John  Worthing- 
ton, of  Springfield,  and  Major  Barnard,  of  Deerfield.  At 
what  date,  or  for  what  consideration,  this  transfer  was  made, 
does  not  now  appear.  At  that  time  it  was,  in  territory,  much 
more  extensive  than  at  present.  When  it  was  incorporated 
as  a  town,  it  extended  from  what  is  now  Cummington,  on  the 
north,  to  Murrayfield,  now  Chester,  on  the  south,  and  from 
Partridgefield,  now  Peru,  on  the  west,  to  the  north  branch  of 
the  Westfield  river  on  the  east,  according  to  J.  C.  Rice's  his- 
tory. This  embraced  a  portion  of  the  territory  now  called 
West  Chesterfield.  When  the  present  boundary  on  the  east 
was  formed,  I  have  not  been  able  to  learn. 

In  1783,  the  town  of  Middlefield  was  incorporated.  This 
was  composed  of  the  corners  of  several  other  towns.  It  em- 
braced the  south-west  corner  of  Worthington,  the  north-west 
corner  of  Murrayfield,  the  north-east  corner  of  Becket,  the 


TOWN    OF    WORTHINGTON.  93 

south  side  of  Partridgefield,  a  part  of  Washington,  and  a 
piece  of  land  called  Prescott's  Grant.  Thus  Worthington 
originally  extended  to  what  is  now  Middleiield  Center,  where 
it  cornered  on  Becket.  One  or  two  lots,  from  the  north-east 
corner  of  Chester,  were  at  some  time  annexed  to  Worthington, 
which  accounts  for  the  projection  which  we  find  on  the  map 
below  South  Worthington.  The  reason  for  this  annexation 
was  that  it  was  more  convenient  for  the  residents  on  this  terri- 
tory to  attend  church,  and  do  business  in  Worthington,  than 
in  Chester. 

The  records  of  the  town  do  not  inform  us  when  the  first 
.settlement  was  made  here.  It  is  evident,  however,  that  a  few 
families  came  as  early  as  1764.  The  first  settlers  were  mainly 
from  the  central  and  eastern  parts  of  Massachusetts,  and  from 
the  State  of  Connecticut.  Prominent  among  them  were  E"a- 
than  Leonard,  N'athaniel  Daniels,  ^N'ahum  Eager,  Dr.  Moses 
Morse,  John  Kinne,  John  Watts,  Thomas  Clemmons,  James 
Bemis  and  others.  (A  more  complete  list  may  be  found  in 
Rice's  History  of  Worthington,  also  in  Holland's  History  of 
Western  Massachusetts.)  The  first  night  which  Nathaniel 
Daniels  and  family  spent  in  town,  they  camped  in  the  woods 
on  the  easterly  slope  of  the  hill,  a  little  east  of  the  present  res- 
idence of  Merrick  Cole.  One  of  the  children  said  he  thought 
the  mosquitoes  would  devour  him.  The  settlement  of  the 
town,  immediately  after  its  commencement,  appears  to  have 
been  rapid.  The  population  continued  to  increase  for  the 
first  half-century.  Since  then  it  has  gradually  diminished. 
In  1768,  this  territory  was  incorporated  into  a  town,  and  called 
Worthington,  in  honor  of  Col.  John  Worthington,  of  Spring- 
field, one  of  its  proprietors,  whose  liberality  towards  the  in- 
habitants was  manifested  by  erecting  for  them,  at  his  own 
expense,  a  meeting-house,  and  a  grist-mill,  and  in  assigning 
generous  lots  of  land  for  ministerial  and  school  purposes.  He 
made  the  town  a  donation  of  twelve  hundred  acres  of  land. 
This  was  divided  into  twelve  sections.  One-half  of  these  were 
called  ministerial  lots,  the  other  half  school  lots.  The  object 
of  the  donor  was  to  aid  the  town  in  the  support  of  educational 
and  religious  institutions.  The  Act  of  Incorporation  was 
passed  June  30,  1768.  The  first  town-meeting  was  held  Au- 
gust 1,  1768,  under  the  following  warrant: 


94  SECULAR   HISTORY    OF    THE 

"Hampshire  ss.  To  Kathan  Leonard,  of  Wortliington,  in 
the  county  of  Hampshire  aforesaid,  yeoman:  Pursuant  to  an 
act  of  this  Province  for  erecting  the  new  Plantation,  called 
'No.  3,  in  the  county  of  tiampshire,  into  a  town  by  the  name 
of  Worthiugton,  and  investing  the  inhabitants  of  said  town 
with  all  the  powers,  and  privileges,  and  immunities  that  other 
towns  within  the  Province  enjoy ;  also  empowering  Israel 
Williams,  Esq.,  to  issue  his  w^arrant  directed  to  some  princi- 
pal inhabitant  of  said  town,  requiring  him  to  call  a  meeting  of 
said  inhabitants,  in  order  to  choose  such  officers,  as  by  law, 
towns  are  empowered  to  choose,  in  the  month  of  March  annu- 
ally. These  are  therefore  in  his  Majesty's  name,  to  require 
you,  the  said  E'athan,  to  notify  and  warn  the  inhabitants  of 
Worthington,  that  they  assemble  together  at  the  house  of 
Alexander  Miller,  innholder  in  said  town,  on  the  first  Mon- 
day in  August  next,  at  ten  of  the  clock  in  the  forenoon,  then 
and  there  in  said  meeting,  to  choose  all  such  officers  as  towns 
within  this  Province  are  empowered  and  enabled  by  law  to 
choose,  in  the  month  of  March  annually.  Hereof,  you  nor 
they  may  not  fail.  Given  under  my  hand  and  seal,  at  Hat- 
field, in  said  county,  this  eleventh  day  of  July,  in  the  eighth 
year  of  his  Majesty's  reign,  Anno  Domini,  176S. 

ISRAEL  WILLIAMS, 

Justice  of  the  Peace." 

In  accordance  with  this  warrant,  the  first  town-meeting  was 
held  at  the  house  of  Alexander  Miller,  long  known  as  the 
Buffington  place,  now  owned  and  occupied  by  Levi  Black- 
man.  At  that  meeting,  Nahum  Eager  was  chosen  Town 
Clerk;  Capt,  Kathan  Leonard,  Capt.  JsTathaniel  Daniels,  and 
Mr.  John  Kinne,  were  chosen  Selectmen ;  Thomas  Clem- 
mons,  Constable  and  Leather  Sealer;  Samuel  Clapp,  Dr. 
Moses  Morse,  Surveyors  of  Highway ;  Nahum  Eager  and  Eph- 
raim  Wheeler,  Fence  Viewers,  and  John  Watts,  Tithing- 
man.  Several  succeeding  town-meetings  were  held  at  the 
same  place. 

The  first  grist-mill  in  town,  was  on  or  near  the  spot  where 
A.  Stevens  &  Son,  now  manufacture  sieve  rims  and  plant  pro- 
tectors. It  was  built  by  the  proprietors  of  the  town,  to  induce 
settlers  to  come  in.     As  this  was  then  an  unbroken  forest, 


TOWN    OF   WORTHINGTON.  95 

men  found  their  way  from  house  to  house  by  marked  trees. 
Much  of  the  business  of  the  town,  in  its  earliest  years,  con- 
sisted in  the  laying  of  roads  in  different  directions.  In  doing 
this,  the  grist-mill  was  one  of  the  grand  radiating  points,  and 
was  usually  mentioned.  In  1770,  the  town  voted  to  raise  <£45 
for  repairing  the  highways,  and  to  pay  for  men's  labor  on  the 
road  three  shillings  per  day ;  for  the  labor  of  a  yoke  of  oxen, 
one  shilling  and  sixpence ;  for  use  of  a  plow,  eightpence. 

The  lirst  saw-mill  in  town  was  situated  somewhere  below 
Mr.  Eager's  meadow.  Other  machinery  of  different  kinds,  on 
a  limited  scale,  was  subsequently  introduced.  Agriculture 
has  always  been  the  leading  business  of  the  town.  For  many 
years,  wool-growing  was  the  main  branch  of  this.  Every  pas- 
ture was  filled  with  flocks.  The  owners  counted  them  by 
hundreds,  and  sometimes  by  thousands.  This  was,  however, 
at  a  comparatively  recent  date.  The  farmers  have  generally 
produced  the  necessaries  of  life,  or  their  equivalent,  for  them- 
selves, and  a  little  surplus  for  others.  In  the  early  history  of 
the  town,  flax  and  wool  were  considered  essential  products  of 
every  family.  The  cloth  commonl}^  worn,  both  by  males  and 
females,  was,  in  the  literal  sense  of  the  term,  domestic.  Each 
family  had  the  great  and  little  spinning-wheel,  the  hand-loom 
and  the  quilling-wheel.  These  were  the  household  musical 
instruments  of  that  day,  on  which  the  mothers  and  daughters 
practiced,  instead  of  the  melodeon  and  piano.  And  though 
the  sound  thereof  was  not  always  as  soft  and  smooth  as  more 
modern  music,  it  was  deemed  quite  as  essential  to  domestic 
prosperity.  Carding  machines  and  clothiers'  shops  were  early 
introduced.  One  of  the  first  clothier's  shops  was  on  the  small 
stream  a  little  west  of  Mr.  Hewett's  present  residence.  The 
wives  and  daughters  spun  and  wove  the  cloth.  The  plain  linen 
was  either  bleached  by  them  on  the  grass,  or  made  up  brown, 
and  left  for  time  and  use  to  whiten,  while  a  nicer  fancy 
article  constituted  the  beautiful  aprons  of  blue  and  white, 
checked  six  by  four,  and  worn  by  our  grandmothers.  The 
woolen,  when  woven,  was  sent  to  the  clothier  to  be  dressed  or 
fulled,  pressed  and  colored,  unless  it  had  been  previously  dyed. 
Brick  were  manufactured,  on  a  limited  scale,  on  or  near  the 
farm  where  John  H.  Coit  lived  and  died.  Mr.  Buck,  then 
living  on  that  place,  was  engaged  in  this  business.     Tanneries 


96  SECULAR   HISTORY  OF   THE 

were  located  in  different  parts  of  tlie  town.  Potash  was  made 
in  liberal  quantities.  The  manufacture  of  hats,  caps,  nails, 
saddles,  harnesses,  chairs,  cider  brandy,  curtains,  children's 
wagons,  cabs  and  sleds,  joiners'  tools,  sleighs,  boots,  shoes, 
bedsteads,  screws,  sieve  rims,  plant  protectors,  and  various 
other  things  "  too  numerous  to  mention,"  has  at  different  times 
been  carried  on  here.  For  many  years,  and  until  the  days  of 
railroads,  the  great  thoroughfare  from  Boston  to  Albany,  was 
through  this  town.  There  was  a  constant  flow  of  travel 
through  the  place.  Stages,  private  coaches,  white-topped 
emigrant  wagons  and  other  vehicles  were  constantly  passing. 
To  accommodate  the  public,  there  were  at  one  time  five  tav- 
erns in  town,  viz:  One  at  the  "  Corners,"  one  where  J.  H. 
Campbell  now  resides,  one  where  Merrick  Cole  lives,  one 
where  E.  H.  Brewster  resides,  and  one  at  West  Worthington, 
on  the  place  where  James  Benton  lives. 

A  post-office  was  established  here  much  earlier  than  in  any 
of  the  neighboring  towns.  For  many  years  it  was  the  only 
one  between  Northampton  and  Pittsfield.  All  the  towns  in 
the  vicinity  came  here  for  their  mail.  Col.  William  Ward, 
who  it  is  thought  was  the  first  postmaster  in  the  place,  re- 
ceived his  appointment  in  1804,  under  the  administration  of 
Thomas  Jefferson,  and  held  the  office  nearly  all  the  time  for 
forty-six  years,  when  he  was  removed  by  death.  In  civil,  po- 
litical, and  military  affairs,  this  town  presents  a  fair  record ; 
yea,  more.  It  presents  a  record  of  which  its  citizens  may  well 
be  proud.  In  1770,  a  meeting  was  called,  as  stated  in  the 
warrant,  ''to  see  if  the  town  will  choose  a  man  to  represent 
them  in  the  Great  and  General  Court,  to  be  held  at  Cam- 
bridge." Voted  not  to  send.  In  1774,  the  British  Parliament 
passed  the  Boston  port  bill,  ''  by  which  the  port  of  Boston 
was  forbidden  to  land,  discharge,  load  and  ship  goods,  wares, 
and  merchandise."  "A  second  bill  was  soon  after  passed, 
essentially  altering  the  charter  of  the  Colony,"  together  with 
other  offensive  Acts.  When  the  news  of  this  port  bill  reached 
Boston,  a  Committee  of  Correspondence,  appointed  for  that 
purpose,  sent  letters  to  the  various  towns  and  plantations  in 
the  Commonwealth.  In  response  to  this  letter,  a  town-meet- 
ing was  forthwith  called,  which  was  held  on  the  28th  day  of 
June.     A   Committee   of   Correspondence   was   chosen,  and 


TOWN   OF   WORTHINGTON.  97 

though  the  meeting  adjourned  from  time  to  time,  near  this 
date  it  was  voted  to  raise  £15,  lawful  money,  to  provide  a 
town  stock  of  powder,  balls,  flints,  etc.  Other  appropriations 
were  made  from  time  to  time,  as  deemed  necessary.  The 
same  year  a  convention,  composed  of  ninety  men,  met  at  Sa- 
lem, thence  adjourned  to  Concord,  where  John  Hancock-was 
chosen  President.  After  this  they  adjourned  to  Cambridge, 
where  was  drawn  up  a  plan  for  the  immediate  defence  of  the 
province.  This  town  was  represented  in  that  assembly,  by  l^a- 
hum  Eager,  Esq.,  for  which  the  town  voted  to  pay  him  <£5,  law- 
ful money.  About  this  time,  those  liable  to  bear  arms  were 
called  together,  and  military  ofiicers  were  chosen.  The  patri- 
otic feeling  of  nearly  all  was  aroused,  and  the  most  intense 
excitement  prevailed.  Though  the  action  of  the  town  in  mil- 
itary matters  has  no  record  from  1774  to  1777,  we  learn  from 
other  sources,  that  Worthington  and  Ashfield  raised  seventy- 
one  minute  men,  who  marched  to  Cambridge,  on  the  Lexing- 
ton alarm,  under  Capt.  Ebenezer  Webber,  of  Worthington, 
with  Samuel  Allen,  and  Samuel  Bartlett,  of  Ashfield,  as  lieu- 
tenants. "  From  this  time  throughout  the  war,  Worthington 
was  actually  drained  of  its  resources  in  men  and  means,  in  aid 
of  the  devolution.  In  1780,  a  requisition,  made  upon  the  town 
for  horses,  found  them  without  the  requisite  number.  Even 
then  they  voted  to  give  the  security  of  the  town  for  the  price 
of  the  horses  if  they  could  be  found  elsewhere."  The  number 
of  men  furnished,  and  the  amount  of  money  raised  for  the 
war,  clearly  show  that  this  town  was  one  of  the  foremost  in 
proportion  to  its  means,  in  supporting  the  cause  of  the  Kevolu- 
tion.  For  a  more  minute  detail  of  their  action,  in  that  crisis, 
and  of  the  number  and  names  of  those  who  served  in  the  war  of 
the  Revolution,  see  Rice's  History  of  the  town.  The'  women 
as  well  as  the  men  were  fired  with  patriotic  feelings,  and 
encouraged  their  husbands,  brothers  and  sons,  to  defend  their 
country,  while  they  cheerfully  took  care  of  business  affairs, 
both  in-doors  and  out ;  yet  here,  as  well  as  elsewhere,  was 
something  of  the  Tory  spirit.  But  the  town  was  prompt  and 
severe  in  rebuking  it.  When  it  was  found  that  Doctor  Morse, 
their  representative,  sided  with  Britain,  it  was  promptly  voted 
that  he  should  not  represent  the  town  in  General  Court  any 
longer.  And  when  Alexander  Miller,, the  inn-keeper,  was 
13 


98  SECULAR    HISTORY    OF    THE 

found  to  be  a  Tory,  they  altered  the  road,  so  that  the  travel 
should  not  pass  his  house,  and  gave  the  custom  to  Captain 
Daniels,  a  loyal  man,  who  lived  near  where  Tillson  Bartlett 
now  does. 

In  the  war  of  1812,  this  town,  it  is  believed  furnished  its  full 
share  of  men  and  means.  Some  few  of  those  who  were  called 
to  fight  the  battles  of  their  country,  in  that  feather-bed  cam- 
paign, under  Governor  Strong,  still  remain,  though  the 
greater  portion  have  fallen  asleep. 

It  is  not  necessary  that  I  should  speak  in  detail  of  the 
number  of  men  furnished,  and  of  the  amount  of  money  ex- 
pended to  defend  and  save  our  nation,  in  the  time  of  her  peril 
in  the  great  rebellion,  lately  subdued.  These  things  are  too 
fresh  in  the  memory  to  need  recital  here,  and  awaken  too 
many  painful  emotions.  It  is  sufficient  to  say,  that  no  town, 
of  its  size,  in  Massachusetts,  probably  suffered  more  in  this 
war  than  this. 

In  civil  and  political  life,  this  town  has  never  been  wanting 
in  men  of  intelligence,  ability  and  influence.  Among  those, 
in  its  earlier  history,  whose  influence  was  felt  in  the  counsels 
of  the  Commonwealth,  may  be  named  Moses  Morse,  I^ahum 
Eager,  Nathan  Leonard,  Dea.  Jonathan  Brewster  and  Hon. 
Ezra  Starkweather.  Later  on  the  list  we  find  .Jonathan 
Woodbridge,  Elisha  Brewster,  Jonathan  Brew^ster,  Jr.,  Samuel 
Howe,  Josiah  Mills,  Hon.  William  Ward,  Trowbridge  Ward 
and  Jonah  Brewster.  Still  later  are  others  whom  it  is  not 
needful  to  name.  Others  might  perhaps  also  be  mentioned  of 
equal  ability,  who  were  not  made  so  prominent  in  public  life. 

The  subject  of  education  early  interested  the  minds  of  the 
first  settlers  here.  They  rightly  judged  as  to  the  importance 
of  this  to  children  and  youth.  For  this,  therefore,  they  made 
suitable  provision  at  the  commencement.  In  1771,  three 
years  after  the  incorporation  of  the  town,  it  was  voted  to  raise 
£10  for  the  support  of  schools.  In  1772  the  same  amount 
was  raised,  the  town  was  divided  into  ^ve  districts,  and  the 
money  was  equally  distributed  among  them.  This  sum  may 
appear  to  us  small,  yet  considering  the  number  of  inhabi- 
tants, the  scarcity  of  means,  and  the  value  of  money  at  that 
day,  it  may  be  considered  liberal.  Here  was  laid  the  founda- 
tion for  the  education,  and  general  intelligence  of  the  town. 


TOWN    OF    WORTHINGTON.  99 

The  sum  annually  appropriated  for  the  support  of  common 
schools  has,  since  that  day,  been  increased  from  time  to  time, 
until  at  present  (including  board,)  it  amounts  to  $1,800  or 
$1,900.  Some  of  this  is  the  income  of  funds,  the  remainder 
is  voluntarily  raised.  The  town  is  now  divided  into  twelve 
districts.  The  first  school-house  was  built  of  logs,  and  was 
located  near  where  John  Adams  now  lives.  The  common 
school  has  been  the  main  home  reliance  for  the  education  of 
the  children  and  youth  of  this  place.  In  1837,  however,  an 
incorporated  academy,  called  the  Mountain  Seminary,  was 
built  near  where  now  stands  the  store  of  H.  Cole  &  Son.  This 
flourished  for  a  few  years,  supported  by  tuition  fees  alone. 
But  other  seminaries,  liberally  endowed  with  funds,  were  soon 
after  built,  furnishing  stronger  attractions  for  the  young,  and 
the  Mountain  Seminary  finally  became  extinct.  Its  first 
teachers  were  Alender  O.  Clapp,  and  Mary  Strong.  Subse- 
quently T.  A  Hall,  E.  A.  Hubbard,  J.  H.  Temple,  and  others 
were  successively  at  the  head  of  the  institution,  assisted  by 
such  individuals  as  they  needed.  Though  this  academy  was 
sustained  but  few  years,  it  accomplished  a  great  deal  for  the 
cause  of  education  in  this  place,  and  in  the  adjacent  towns. 
It  introduced  improvements  in  the  methods  of  teaching,  and 
by  raising  up  a  better  qualified  class  of  teachers,  it  elevated 
the  standard  of  education  in  the  common  schools.  An  im- 
pulse was  thus  given  which  is  still  felt  in  the  town,  and  it  is 
believed  will  continue  to  be  felt  for  many  years  yet  to  come. 

The  first  settlers  of  this  town  w^ere  reared  under  the  influ- 
ence of  the  gospel.  They  were  trained  to  fear  God  and  keep 
his  Sabbaths,  and  reverence  his  sanctuary,  and  maintain  di- 
vine institutions  and  ordinances.  They  were  attached  to 
these  things  from  principle  as  well  as  by  the  influence  of  edu- 
cation. Hence,  when  they  sought  a  home  in  the  mountain 
wilderness,  they  brought  their  religion  with  them.  Liberal 
provision  was  early  made  for  the  support  of  public  worship, 
and  the  full  enjoyment  of  all  gospel  ordinances.  Thus  they 
laid  in  Christianity  a  broad,  firm  foundation  for  the  prosperity 
and  true  elevation  of  themselves  and  their  posterity  here  and 
their  well-being  hereafter.  As  an  incident  illustrating  their 
regard  for  the  Sabbath,  there  is  a  tradition  respecting  one 
man  who  was  short  of  provision.     His  residence  was  on  the 


100  SECULAR    HISTORY    OF    THE 

hill  above  A.  P.  Drury's.  One  Sabbath  morning  a  noble  deer 
presented  himself  before  the  door  of  his  hut.  He  was  strongly 
tempted  to  shoot  him  to  obtain  a  supply  of  provision,  but  he 
remembered  the  Sabbath  day  and  let  him  go.  The  next  morn- 
ing the  animal  appeared  again  in  the  same  place,  when  the 
man  killed  him  and  thus  obtained  a  supply  of  meat.  He 
trusted  in  the  Lord,  and  verily  he  was  fed.  In  1769,  the  year 
after  the  act  of  incorporation  was  passed,  a  meeting  was  called 
to  see  if  the  town  would  support  preaching.  Voted,  to  do  it. 
Where  their  religious  meetings  were  held  at  this  early  period 
does  not  distinctly  appear.  A  church  of  thirty  members  was 
organized  April  1st,  1771.  They  aimed  to  build  this  "on  the 
foundation  of  the  Apostles  and  the  Prophets,  Jesus  Christ 
himself  being  the  chief  corner  stone."  While  in  general 
they  declared  their  approbation  of  the  Westminster  Confession 
of  Faith  and  Catechism,  as  for  the  substance  of  it,  agreeable 
to  their  belief  in  the  doctrines  of  Christianity,  they  at  the 
same  time  discarded  all  servile  bondage  to  any  human  form- 
ula or  discipline.  Their  own  language  is  :  "  We  agree  that 
the  Word  of  God  is  a  sufficient  rule  as  well  for  the  practice 
and  discipline  of  the  church  as  the  doctrine  of  faith;  and 
that  human  compositions  on  the  subject  of  church  discipline 
are  to  be  used  only  as  helps  and  means  for  the  better  under- 
standing of  God's  Word."  Without  casting  any  reflections 
upon  other  denominations  or  forms  of  church  government  and 
discipline,  they  very  modestly  said:  "In  general  it  is  our 
opinion  that  what  is  called  the  Congregational  form  of  church 
government  and  discipline  is  in  the  main  agreeable  to  the 
Word  of  God."  The  creed  adopted  at  that  time  has  remained 
unaltered  to  the  present  day.  The  first  meeting-house  was 
located  near  where  Lyman  G.  Granger's  house  now  stands. 
The  cemetery  was  in  the  rear  of  the  church.  When  this 
house  was  erected  does  not  appear  from  the  town  records. 
The  obvious  reason  for  this,  no  doubt,  is  that  it  was  not  built 
by  the  town.  From  the  most  reliable  information  on  this 
point,  it  appears  that  the  frame  was  put  up  and  partially  or 
wholly  covered  by  the  proprietors  of  the  town  to  encourage  a 
more  rapid  settlement  of  the  place.  According  to  Rice's  His- 
tory it  was  built  four  years  before  the  incorporation  of  the 
town.     Others  have  given  it  a  later  date.     After  the  act  of  in- 


TOWN    OF   WORTHINGTON.  101 

corporation,  one  or  more  meetings  were  called  to  see  if  the 
town  would  clear  a  spot  for  it  or  around  it.  A  town  meeting 
was  held  in  it,  November,  1770.  Probably  it  was  not  ready 
for  use  much,  if  any,  before  that  time.  It  remained  in  an  un- 
finished state  for  several  years,  though  used  for  pubHc  worship 
and  the  transaction  of  town  business.  The  pulpit  was  but  a 
temporary  stage.  The  seats  for  the  congregation  were  rude 
benches  made  of  boards  with  the  hard  side  up,  and  no  cush- 
ions. Those  wanting  something  more  comfortable  brought 
their  own  chairs.  In  1780  it  was  voted  that  the  town  build  a 
pulpit,  two  deacons'  seats,  four  seats  on  each  side  of  the  broad 
aisle,  lay  the  gallery  floor  and  build  stairs,  and  "  that  the  pew 
spots  be  drawn  by  the  highest  in  the  list,  they  being  obliged 
to  build  the  same  by  such  time  as  shall  be  set  by  the  town, 
and  finish  the  back  up  to  the  gallery  girt,  each  against  his  own 
pew."  In  1788  the  question  of  removing  the  meeting-house 
began  to  be  agitated.  Several  meetings  were  held  for  the  dis- 
cussion of  this  subject.  In  1791  it  was  voted  to  remove  it  to 
land  then  owned  by  Zachari  Hanchett,  just  in  rear  of  the  pres- 
ent store  of  E.  H.  Brewster  &  Son.  It  was  removed  in  1792 
and  every  way  finished  at  the  expense  of  the  town.  It  was 
also  voted  that  ISTahum  Eager,  John  Watts  and  others,  have 
the  liberty  to  set  up  a  steeple  to  the  meeting-house.  This 
liberty,  however,  they  appear  not  to  have  used.  Subsequently 
the  pews  were  sold  at  auction  to  the  highest  bidder  for  ^601 
85.  This  continued  to  be  the  only  place  of  worship  for  nearly 
the  whole  town  until  1825,  when,  after  a  conflict  of  almost 
unequalled  severity,  lasting  some  ten  or  twelve  years,  the  pres- 
ent ediflce  was  erected.  Over  that  conflict  let  the  curtain  fall. 
''Let  not  the  light  shine  upon  it;  let  darkness  stain  it,  and  a 
cloud  dwell  upon  it." 

N^o  provision  was  made  for  warming  the  old  church  until  a 
short  time  before  it  was  abandoned.  The  people  entered  it 
on  cold,  stormy  dsijs  in  Winter,  brushed  oft'  the  snow,  and 
quietly  took  their  seats  for  a  sitting  of  one  or  two  hours.  The 
old  ladies  had  foot-stoves  for  their  comfort  which  were  some- 
times passed  around  the  pew  for  the  benefit  of  others.  The 
frequent  and  loud  knocking  together  of  boots  towards  the 
close  of  a  long  sermon,  sometimes  gave  unmistakable  signs  of 
a  desire  for  a  close.     Still,  when  it  was  proposed  to  introduce 


102  SECULAR   HISTORY   OF   THE 

stoves  there  was  decided  opposition  to  the  measure.  It  was 
regarded  as  an  innovation  on  a  time-honored  practice.  There 
was  a  report  that  the  first  Sabbath  after  the  stoves  were  set  up, 
though  there  was  no  fire  in  them,  some  of  the  congregation, 
not  aware  of  the  fact,  imagined  themselves  so  overcome  with 
the  intense  heat  that  they  fainted.  Such  magic  power  had 
cold  iron  stoves. 

At  a  later  date  a  Methodist  Episcopal  church  was  formed  at 
South  Worthington,  and  in  1828  a  house  of  worship  was 
erected  there.  In  1849  this  house  .was  abandoned  and  a  more 
beautiful  and  commodious  edifice  erected,  in  which  that  church 
now  worship.  They  have  generally  been  supplied  with 
preachers  from  the  'New  England  Conference,  except  a  few 
years  when  they  were  connected  with  the  true  Wesleyans. 
In  1848  a  Methodist  Society  was  formed  at  West  Worthington. 
This  was  connected  with  the  Troy  Conference,  by  which  it 
was  supplied  with  preachers.  This  organization  was  of  short 
duration.  Their  house  of  worship  has  been  abandoned  for 
several  years.  On  the  third  day  of  April,  1771,  the  town  in- 
vited Rev.  Jonathan  Huntington,  of  Windham,  Ct.,  to  be- 
come their  minister ;  voted  to  maintain  him  by  a  tax;  to  give 
him  <£40  the  first  year,  and  to  increase  it  four  pounds  yearly 
until  it  reached  the  sum  of  sixty  pounds,  which  is  thereafter 
to  be  his  stated  salary.  Mr.  Huntington  accepted  the  invita- 
tion, and  was  ordained  and  installed  accordingly,  June  26th, 
1771.  His  place  of  residence  was  where  R.  M.  Wright  now 
lives.  As  some  question  subsequently  arose  respecting  the 
method  of  raising  his  salary,  it  was,  after  much  discussion, 
voted  in  1778  to  do  it  by  a  free  contribution  once  in  eight 
months.  In  1779  the  town  voted  to  give  Mr.  Huntington 
sixty  pounds,  to  be  paid  in  wheat  at  six  shillings  a  bushel,  rye 
at  four  shillings,  corn  at  three  shillings,  and  other  necessaries 
of  life,  agreeable  to  said  articles  expressed.  Mr.  Huntington 
died  March  11th,  1781,  in  the  48th  year  of  his  age.  He  was 
a  native  of  Windham,  Ct.,  and  belonged  to  one  of  the  most 
distinguished  families  of  that  State.  Without  the  advantages 
of  a  collegiate  education,  he  first  studied  medicine  and  became 
somewhat  distinguished  as  a  physician.  Why  he  changed  his 
profession  is  not  now  apparent.  From  what  may  now  be 
learned  of  him,  it  is  evident  that  he  was,  by  nature,  peculiarly 


TOWN   OF   WORTHINGTON.  103 

mild  and  amiable,  and  by  grace,  a  man  of  deep-toned  piety 
and  irreproachable  Christian  character.  Hence,  as  might  be 
expected,  he  won  the  confidence  and  secured  the  esteem  and 
afi^ection  of  the  church  and  the  town.  After  the  death  of  Mr. 
Huntington  the  town  was  some  time  without  a  settled  minister. 
Still  they  kept  up  public  worship.  In  1781  it  was  voted  to 
employ  Rev.  Mr.  Barker  five  Sabbaths,  for  which  he  was  to  re- 
ceive six  pounds  hard  money,  and  Mrs.  Huntington  was  to  re- 
ceive two  hard  dollars  a  week  for  his  board  and  house-keeping. 
Rev.  Israel  HoUey,  Mr.  Israel  Day,  a  Mr.  Warren  and  Enoch 
Whipple  were  successively  invited  to  settle  here  in  the  minis- 
try, but  they  severally  gave  a  negative  answer.  In  1788  Rev. 
Josiah  Spaulding,  of  Ilxbridge,  Mass.,  received  and  accepted 
a  call  to  settle  here  with  XlOO  settlement  and  £75  annual  sal- 
ary. He  was  a  native  of  Plainfield,  Ct.,  and  was  educated  at 
Yale  College.  He  was  installed  August  21st,  1788.  His  pas- 
torate was  short.  Many  of  the  people  became  dissatisfied 
with  him,  in  consequence  of  which  he  was  dismissed  in  1794. 
He  was  subsequently  settled  in  Buckland,  Franklin  county, 
where  he  remained  until  his  death.  He  was  evidently  some- 
what eccentric,  though  a  man  of  full  ordinary  power  of  mind. 
This  was  admitted  by  his  cotemporaries,  and  is  fully  shown 
by  his  published  writings.  There  was  evidently  great  excite- 
ment here  respecting  his  dismission.  Many  meetings  were 
held,  and  finally  charges  were  preferred  against  him,  which  may 
be  summarily  expressed  as  follows,  viz. :  a  change  in  religious 
doctrine,  immorality  in  practice,  and  delinquency  in  duty. 
Either  of  these  charges,  if  sustained,  would,  according  to  Con- 
gregational usage,  have  worked  a  forfeiture  of  his  office  and 
ministerial  standing.  The  matter  was  referred  to  an  ecclesiasti- 
cal council  and  the  result  was  that  not  one  of  these  charges  was 
sustained.  His  sentiments  and  character  and  fidelity  in  duty, 
were  fully  endorsed  by  the  council.  They  recommended  him 
as  an  example  of  meekness,  fidelity  and  charity.  They  said : 
''  We  find  no  fault  in  Mr.  Spaulding  which  should  operate  as 
a  reason  for  the  dissolution  of  the  pastoral  relation."  But 
such  was  the  state  of  feeling  among  the  people  that  they  ad- 
vised his  dismission. 

The  same  year  1794,  Jonathan  L.  Pomeroy  received  and  ac- 
cepted a  call  to  settle  here,  with  j£180  settlement,  and  .£110  and 


104  SECULAR   HISTORY    OF    THE 

thirty  cords  of  wood  annual  salary.  He  was  the  son  of  a  clergy- 
man, and  was  born  in  the  parish  of  Greenfield,  in  the  town  of 
Fairfield,  where  his  father  was  pastor.  He  had  not  a  collegi- 
ate education,  but  received  both  his  classical  and  theological 
instruction  from  Rev.  Timothy  Dwight,  D.  D.,  the  successor 
of  his  father  in  the  ministry,  afterwards  president  of  Yale  Col- 
lege. Still,  Mr.  Pomeroy  was  a  ripe  scholar.  He  read  Latin 
and  Greek  fiuently,  and  was  almost  as  familiar  with  French 
as  with  his  mother  tongue.  He  was  settled  here  JS'ovember 
26,  1794.  There  was,  on  the  part  of  a  portion  of  the  people, 
such  opposition  to  his  settlement,  that  a  formal  protest  was 
laid  before  the  ordaining  council,  who  did  not  deem  it  suffi- 
cient to  stop  proceedings.  He  was  settled  and  soon  overcame 
that  opposition,  and  secured  the  confidence  of  the  people  gen- 
erally. In  1832,  after  a  pastorate  of  thirty-eight  years,  he 
was,  at  his  own  urgent  request,  honorably  dismissed.  He  sub- 
sequently removed  to  Feeding  Hills,  where  he  died  June  4, 
1836,  at  the  age  of  67  years.  His  valuable  property  was 
mainly  bequeathed  to  benevolent  objects.  He  was  a  man  of 
superior  mental  power,  his  perception  was  quick,  his  penetra- 
tion keen,  and  his  memory  peculiarly  retentive.  He  published 
several  sermons  delivered  on  different  occasions. 

In  1833,  Rev.  Henry  Adams  was  settled  here  in  the  minis- 
try, and  remained  until  1838,  when  he  was  dismissed  on  ac- 
count of  ill  health. 

The  same  year  Rev.  J.  H.  Bisbee  was  installed  here  and  re- 
mained until  1867,  a  little  more  than  twenty-eight  years,  when 
at  his  own  request,  he  was  dismissed,  and  Rev.  D.  S.  Morgan 
was  ordained  and  installed  as  his  successor.  As  the  three  last 
named  are  still  living,  it  is  not  necessary  to  speak  minutely  of 
them. 

I  have  dwelt  thus  long  on  these  ecclesiastical  matters,  from 
the  fact  that  this  is  a  part  of  the  history  of  the  town.  From 
its  incorporation  to  the  year  1865,  the  business  of  the  Congre- 
gational Society  was  done  under  the  town  warrant,  and  the 
officers  of  the  town  were  the  officers  of  the  parish.  In  law 
the  parish  was  the  town  in  its  parochial  capacity.  In  1865,  a 
separation  was  effected,  and  the  parish  was  organized  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  Revised  Statutes.  It  is  proper  to  say,  for 
the  honor  of  God,  that  this  place  has  been  signally  blessed 


TOWN   OF   WORTHINGTON.  105 

with  revivals  of  religion.  Such  seasons  have  been  frequent, 
powerful,  and  extensive.  Among  the  most  remarkable  of  these 
seasons,  may  be  named  the  years  1794-9,  when  fifty  were 
united  to  the  church,  the  year  1808,  when  one  hundred  and 
thirteen  were  received,  1819  when  one  hundred  were  admitted 
to  the  church,  1827  when  thirty-two  were  gathered  in,  1842-3 
when  forty-eight  were  received  on  profession,  1850  when  forty- 
nine  were  received.  Besides  these  powerful  general  revivals, 
there  have  been  many  seasons  of  gentle  refreshing,  when  the 
Spirit  has  descended  as  the  dew.  There  have  also  been  sev- 
eral such  blessed  seasons  at  South  Worthington,  in  connec- 
tion with  the  Methodist  church,  of  which  I  cannot  speak  mi- 
nutely. A  Sabbath  school  was  gathered  here,  just  fifty  years 
ago.  It  was  held  at  5  o'clock  p.  m.,  at  the  school-house  near 
Ames  Burr's,  and  was  conducted  mainly  by  two  young  ladies 
of  well-known  piety  and  benevolence. 

The  following  persons  have  practiced  law  in  this  place,  viz  : 
Joseph  Lyman,  Jonathan  Woodbridge,  Samuel  Howe,  Elisha 
Mack,  Daniel  Parish,  and  C.  B.  Rising. 

The  medical  men  have  been  more  numerous.  It  seems  to 
have  been  a  great  place  for  doctors,  as  the  following  list  will 
show.  M.  Morse,  E.  Starkweather,  Marsh,  Brewster,  Porter, 
two  Hollands,  Case,  Spear,  E.  Pierce,  Meekins,  D.  Pierce,  H. 
Starkweather,  Bois,  Wheeler,  Colt,  Brown,  Church,  Prevost, 
Lyman,  Knowlton,  Freeland,  Smith,  A.  G.  Pierce,  Coy,  and 
some  others. 

Among  the  educated  professional  men,  born  or  bred  here, 
may  be  named,  Azariah  Clark,  who  graduated  at  Williams 
College  in  1805.     He  settled  in  the  ministry  at  Canaan,  N.  Y. 

Benjamin  Mills  graduated  at  Williams  College  in  1814.  He 
studied  law  and  practiced  in  Illinois.  He  died  at  Pittsfield, 
Mass.,  in  1841. 

Henry  Wilbur  received  a  private  education.  He  was  set- 
tled in  the  ministry  at  Wendell,  Mass.,  from  1817  to  1822. 
He  prepared  a  reference  Bible,  and  published  some  other 
books.  In  his  later  years,  he  taught  and  lectured  on  astron- 
omy. 

Joseph  M.  Brewster  graduated  at  Yale  College  in  1822. 
He  settled  in  the  ministry  in  Peru,  where  he  died  in  1833. 

Daniel  Parish  graduated  at  Williams  College  in  1822.  Stud- 
14 


106  SECULAR   HISTORY   OF    THE 

iecl  law,  and  practiced  in  Worthington,  and  other  places.  He 
has  recently  died. 

Jonathan  E.  Woodbridge  graduated  at  Williams  College, 
in  1822,  was  tutor  in  college,  has  been  settled  in  several 
places  in  the  ministry,  and  is  now  a  teacher  at  Auburndale.- 

George  Woodbridge  graduated  at  West  Point,  was  for  a 
time  in  the  army,  afterwards  entered  the  ministry,  and  preached 
at  Richmond,  Ya. 

John  Starkweather  graduated  at  Yale  College  in  1825,  and 
entered  the  ministry. 

Orsamus  Tinker  graduated  at  Williams  College  in  182T. 
He  entered  the  ministry,  and  died  at  Ashby,  Mass.,  in  1838. 

Consider  Parish  graduated  at  Williams  College  in  1828,  and 
has  been  a  teacher  and  preacher  at  the  South. 

Alonzo  Clark  graduated  at  Williams  College  in  1828,  and 
studied  medicine.  He  is  now  professor  of  pathology  and 
practical  medicine,  and  resides  in  'New  York. 

J.  H.  Bisbee  graduated  at  Union  College  in  1831,  and  is 
now  in  the  ministry. 

Daniel  Branch  graduated  at  Union  College  in  1832,  and  has 
been  a  teacher  in  Ohio  and  school  commissioner  in  Illinois. 

A.  Huntington  Clapp  graduated  at  Yale  College,  and  is  now 
secretary  of  the  A.  H.  M.  Society,  ^ew  York. 

Franklin  D.  Austin  graduated  at  Union  College  in  1845, 
and  is  now  in  the  ministry. 

Henry  A.  Austin  and  Samuel  J.  Austin  graduated  at  Union 
College  in  1847,  and  are  both  in  the  ministry. 

Corydon  Higgins  graduated  at  Williams  College  in  1849, 
and  is  now  preaching. 

Charles  H.  Gardner  was  educated  at  Williams  College,  and 
is  now  a  teacher  and  preacher  in  New  York. 

James  K.  Mills  graduated  at  Williams  College,  and  is  now 
a  lawyer. 

W.  Harmon  Mies  was  educated  under  Professor  Agassiz, 
of  Cambridge. 

James  C.  Rice  graduated  at  Yale  College  in  1854.  He 
practiced  law  in  E'ew  York  until  the  late  war,  when  he  en- 
listed in  the  army,  and  for  bravery  and  noble  daring  was 
raised  to  the  office  of  Brigadier  General,  and  was  killed  in  the 
battle  of  the  Wilderness.     It  was  he  who  said,  "  Let  me  die 


TOWN   OF    WORTHINGTON.  107 

with  my  face  to  the   foe."     He  was  a  noble  specimea  of  a 
Christian  soldier. 

Henry  E.  Daniels  was  educated  at  Williams  College,  studied 
law,  and  is  now  dead. 

To  these  might  be  added  a  long  list  of  professional  men, 
whose  place  of  education  I  cannot  state.  Among  these  may 
be  named  Ira  and  Ebenezer  Daniels,  Dr.  Tinker,  Franklin 
Everett,  Hon.  Samuel  A.  Kingman,  judge  in  the  supreme 
court  of  Kansas,  A.  D.  Kingman  and  two  Marbles,  who  went 
to  Kentucky,  with  others  too  numerous  to  mention.  In  addi- 
tion to  these,  many  business  men  might  be  named,  who  have 
been  successful  in  their  different  departments,  some  of  whom 
have  risen  to  eminence  in  civil  and  political  life,  and  have 
filled  the  mayor's  chair  in  some  of  our  great  cities,  or  taken 
their  seat  in  our  national  congress.  Among  these  may  be 
named  Aaron  Clark,  Gideon  Lee,  A.  P.  Stone,  and  F.  Kellog'S*. 

Among  the  fatal  casualties  of  the  place,  the  following  may 
be  mentioned :  In  1806  William  Adams  was  mortally  wounded 
in  a  bark-mill.  In  1817  a  child  was  killed  at  Mr.  Bardwell's 
by  swallowing  a  bean.  In  1820  Gains  Kowe  was  killed  in  a 
well  by  the  falling  of  a  bucket  on  his  head.  It  was  nearly  in 
front  of  the  house  where  James  Bisbee  now  lives.  In  1821 
Thomas — a  Corsican — was  killed  by  falling  under  the  wheel 
of  a  loaded  cart  in  front  of  E.  H.  Brewster's  residence.  In 
1822  Dexter,  aged  nine  years,  a  son  of  Daniel  Branch,  was 
killed  by  the  kick  of  a  horse.  In  1830  Josiah  Mills,  Jr.,  was 
thrown  from  a  horse  and  his  skull  was  fractured,  in  conse- 
quence of  which  he  died.  Ira  Prentice  was  drowned  in  1832 
in  attempting  to  cross  the  stream  between  his  house  and  i^orth 
Chester  in  the  night.  Marcus  Brown  was  killed  in  a  bark- 
mill  in  184-.  A  boy  by  the  name  of  Meacham  was  killed  in 
18 —  by  the  falling  of  a  cart  body.  Chester  Bartlett  was  killed 
by  the  caving  in  of  a  sand  bank  in  1853.  A  son  of  William 
Higgins  accidentally  shot  himself  in  1854.  Amos  Cole,  a  cit- 
izen of  this  town,  was  thrown  from  his  sleigh  and  mortally 
wounded  in  1864,  while  passing  from  Hinsdale  to  Dalton. 
Cornelia  Brown,  Mrs.  Beals  and  Miss  Beals  were  drowned  in 
Spencer  Parish's  mill-pond  in  1863.  Wm.  Tower  was  thrown 
from  a  wagon  and  instantly  killed  near  Mr.  Stevens'  mill  in 
1865. 


108  SECULAR   HISTORY   OF   THE 

Of  suicides:  A  traveler  hung  himself  many  years  ago  near 
the  old  turnpike  in  West  Worthington,  not  far  from  the  tan- 
nery formerly  owned  by  Clark  &  Bardwell.  April  14th,  1813, 
a  Mr.  Chamberlain,  of  Boston,  shot  himself  at  Mills'  Hotel. 
He  came  in  the  stage  the  night  previous. 

I  have  thus  glanced  at  the  record  of  some  few  of  the  prom- 
inent incidents  in  this  place  for  the  last  century.     Time  will 
not  permit  me  to  enlarge.      This  brief  review  suggests  nu- 
merous reflections,  and  awakens  many  tender  emotions.     It 
reminds   us  of  the  brevity  of  human  life  and  the  transitory 
nature  of  its  pleasures  and  pains,  its  hopes  and  fears.     Our 
fathers,  where  are  they  ?     Where  are  they  who  first  climbed 
these  rugged  hills  and  felled  the  forests,  and  as  pioneers  in 
this  mountain  wilderness,  laid  the  foundation  for  an  intelli- 
gent, moral,  Christian  community?     All  have  passed  away. 
I  can  now  seem  to  see  some  of  these  venerable  men,  dignified 
in  form  and  mien  and  hardy  in  appearance,  as  in  my  boyhood 
I  saw  them  walk  these  streets  and  take  their  seats  in  the  old 
church  with  its  square  pews;  or,  as  they  gathered  in  groups 
under  the  shade  of  the  old  birch  tree  in  front  of  the  church 
during  the  intermission  on  the  Sabbath,  to  give  and  receive 
friendly  salutations.     But  they  have  passed  away.     May  their 
mantle   rest  on  their  descendants  to  the  latest   generation. 
One  hundred  years  past !     What  great  and  marked  changes 
have  taken  place  during  that  time.     Three  generations  have 
successively  acted  their  part  on  the  theatre  of  life.     The  Wil- 
derness has  become  a  fruitful  field  and  we  reap  our  daily  bread 
from  the  dust  of  our  ancestors.     One  hundred  years  ago  town 
meetings  in  Massachusetts  were  called  in  the  name  of  His 
Majesty.     Our  nation,  then  a  colony  of  Great  Britain,  has 
since  thrown  off  its  yoke,  asserted  its  independence,  and  taken 
rank  with  the  most  distinguished  nations  of  the  globe.     And 
in  crushing  the  late  gigantic  rebellion,  which  had  plotted  the 
overthrow  of  this  best  of  human  governments,  at  such  immense 
expense  of  blood  and  treasure,  our  nation  has  shown  its  ability 
and  its  determination  to  maintain  and  defend  civil  liberty  and 
human  rights.     It  has  expanded  in  territory  until  it  is  washed 
on  both  sides  by  the  waves  of  the  ocean.     It  has  increased  in 
population  until,  of  a  handful,  we  have  become  a  great  people. 
Kevolutions  have  been  experienced  in  other  countries  also ; 


TOWN    OF    WORTHINGTON.  109 

kingdoms  and  thrones  have  been  shaken  and  overturned; 
kings  and  emperors  have  been  crowned,  deposed,  exiled  or 
slain  ;  statesmen  have  come  and  gone ;  orators  and  poets  have 
arisen  and  charmed  the  world  with  their  eloquence  and  verse, 
and  their  tongues  have  been  palsied  and  their  music  hushed. 
Wonderful  improvements  have  been  made  in  the  arts  and 
sciences,  and  in  the  application  of  scientific  principles  to  the 
business  of  life.  Modes  of  traveling  and  of  the  communica- 
tion of  thought  have  been  entirely  revolutionized.  Railroads, 
steamboats  and  telegraphs  have  been  constructed  and  brought 
into  use  during  this  time.  All  these  things  show  that  the 
world  moves,  and  some  of  them  indicate  that  it  moves  fast. 
These  changes  in  the  past  show  what  may  be  anticipated  in 
the  future.  In  what  has  been,  we  may  see,  as  in  a  glass,  what 
is  to  be.  Change  is  indelibly  written  on  all  things  earthly. 
The  next  century  will,  undoubtedly,  be  as  fruitful  in  changes 
as  the  past.  Who  will  then  roam  these  hills  and  cultivate 
these  pleasant  fields  and  gather  here  to  tell  and  hear  the  tale 
of  the  second  century  ?  They  are  yet  unborn.  This  vast 
assembly,  gathered  here  to-day,  will  then  all  have  pillowed 
their  heads  in  the  grave.  May  they  leave  behind  them  an  in- 
fluence for  good,  and  thus,  though  dead,  still  speak  for  hu- 
manity, for  truth,  for  righteousness  and  for  God. 

Following  the  Historical  Address,  the  choir  sung  with  fine 
effect  the  following  Centennial  Ode,  written  and  read  by  C.  M. 
Parsons,  a  citizen  of  the  town. 

ODE. 

Come  one  and  all,  both  great  and  small, 

Now  let  your  hearts  o'erflow, 
And  joyous  sing,  with  merry  ring, 

"  One  hundred  years  ago." 

Chorus.—"  One  hundred  years,"  one  hundred  cheers, 
So  let  the  cannon  roar  ; 
The  gala-day  of  earthly  stay. 
High  let  our  anthems  soar. 

Welcome,  ye  friends  !  from  hills  and  glens. 

From  city  and  from  plain  ; 
To  meet  us  here,  all  hearts  to  cheer. 
Thrice  welcome  back  again. 


110  SECULAR   HISTORY   OF    WORTHINGTON. 

Those  valiant  sires,  whose  altar  fires, 

Burned  first  in  Worthington ; 
Peace  to  their  dust,  let  us  be  just, 

As  every  faithful  son. 

When  years  have  passed,  and  we  are  classed 

With  those  who  are  gone  before, 
Children  shall  raise  their  tuneful  lays, 

As  parents  did  of  yore. 

Let  it  be  said  of  all  the  dead. 

Who  graced  this  "  festal  throng," 
Long  years  to  come,  a  century  done, 

They  sing  sublimest  song. 

Then  followed  speeches  by  William  Cullen  Bryant,  the  ven- 
erable and  world-wide  known  poet,  who  for  two  years  studied 
law  with  Judge  Howe  in  Worthington ;  Rev.  Mr.  Wood- 
bridge,  of  Boston,  a  son  of  Jonathan  Woodbridge,  a  lawyer 
in  Worthington;  Dr.  T.  K.  De  Wolf,  of  Chester;  W.  W. 
Ward,  of  Greenfield ;  and  John  Kice,  of  Milwaukee  ;  Rev. 
Mr.  Bisbee  responded  to  a  sentiment  in  honor  of  General 
James  C.  Rice.  The  speeches  were  all  appropriate  and  inter- 
esting, and  happily  received. 

In  conclusion,  Mr.  Bisbee,  in  behalf  of  the  guests  and  the 
people  from  the  surrounding  region  who  had  shared  the  hospi- 
talities of  the  town,  moved  a  vote  of  thanks  for  the  feast  pro- 
vided, and  it  was  carried  with  a  hearty  and  unanimous  aye. 

If  the  programme  of  the  committee  had  been  carried  out 
as  arranged  there  would  have  been  more  speaking,  but  the 
rain  interfered,  and  not  only  disarranged  and  shortened  the 
literary  exercises,  but  prevented  a  large  portion  of  the  multi- 
tude from  listening  to  what  was  said. 

In  the  street  in  front  of  the  church  was  erected  a  triumphal 
arch  of  evergreens  bearing  in  large  figures  the  years  1768 — 
1868. 

A  large  brass  field-piece,  brought  from  Springfield,  gave  out 
during  the  day  100  guns,  one  for  each  year  of  the  completed 
century. 


[THE    FOLLOWING    POEM    WAS    RECEIVED    FROM    A    NATIVE    OF    THE    TOWN.] 

AN    HUNDRED    YEARS    AGO. 


BY   PROF.    FRANKLIN   EVERETT,    OF    GRAND   RAPIDS,    MICHIGAN. 


O,  IS  there  not  a  dignity, 

Commanding  and  sublime, 
In  the  silent,  onward  march  of  years, - 

Those  chroniclers  of  time  ! 
Big  with  the  fates  of  living  men, 

Of  nations,  and  of  spheres  ; 
A  part  of  God's  immensity, 

Measured  by  earthly  years  ! 
The  cycles  of  eternity. 

Transcend  these  minds  of  ours  ; 
Its  minutes  are  the  years,  we  count ; 

Our  centuries,  its  hours. 

Eternity's  revolving  course 

No  human  thought  can  span  ; 
Its  little  fractions  are  the  time 

That's  measured  off  to  man. 
A  century  is  a  portion,  which 

ISIo  human  mind  can  reach  ; 
A  portion  only  of  that  time 

Is  measured  off  to  each. 

The  clock  has  struck  a  century, — 

Conceive  it  ye  who  can  ; — 
The  clock  has  struck  a  century 

Of  Worthington  and  man. 
No  human  recollection  through 

That  century  can  go, 
'Tis  lost  ;  or  it  is  history; 

Its  latter  part  you  know. 
Its  history  is  the  town  you  see. 

Where  all  seems  growing  old, 
Or  else,  in  wasting,  sculptured  lines, 

On  crumbling  marble  told. 


112  SECULAR   HISTORY    OF   THE 

These  marbles  tell  of  those  who  lived 

And  acted  in  their  day  ; 
Filled  here  their  place  in  active  life, 

And  passed  from  life  away. 

Come,  go  with  me,  and  let  ns  trace 

The  now  closed  century  back, 
But  how  !  Our  utmost  stretch  of  mind 

Can  span  but  half  its  track. 
We'll  call  on  memory,  where  we  can  ; 

Let  memory  do  its  best. 
We've  records,  and  we've  monuments  ; 

Tradition  claims  the  rest. 
The  grandsires  of  our  grey-haired  men 

Were  then  the  yeomen  bold. 
Our  grey-haired  men  can  recollect 

The  tales  their  grandsires  told ; 
So  we've  the  means  ;  and  let  us  take 

A  retrospective  view  ; — 
Head  backward  on  the  track  of  Time, 

And  trace  the  century  through. 

Through  memory,  tradition,  and 

The  tomes  of  history 
I've  gone  through  time,  a  century  back; 

Come,  take  your  stand  with  me, 
On  Bashan's  swelling  height  I  am  ; 

That's  Worthington ,  jHBBt  J /kt^! 
A  scarce  unbroken  forest  spread. 

On  every  side  below, 
Through  which,  with  ever  stealthy  tread, 

The  wolf  or  panther  steals  ; 
That  little  opening,  wreathed  in  smoke, 

The  settler's  home  reveals. 
Here  he  has  pitched  his  future  home, 

And  begun  to  clear  his  lands  ; 
And  receding  forests  show  the  work 

Of  strong  and  manly  hands. 
Few  are  his  thoughts,  and  few  his  joys  ; 

And  few  his  doubts  and  fears. 
His  aspirations  are — a  home 

For  his  declining  years, 
Content  for  simple  life  and  bread, 

Along  through  life  to  plod  ; 
And  fearing  but  the  Indian,  and 

The  anger  of  his  God. 
Stern  in  his  labor;  stern  in  prayer, 

And  stern  to  child  and  wife, 


TOWN   OF   WORTHINGTON.  113 

He,  scarcely  smiling,  moves  along 

His  plodding  course  of  life. 
He  never  chats,  or  romps,  or  plays, 

With  wife,  or  girls,  or  boys  ; 
His  presence,  as  he  nears  the  house, 

Hushes  hilarious  noise, — 
For  know — his  Puritanic  creed 

Was  death  on  mirth  and  play  ; 
Had  made  it  the  business  of  his  life 

To  labor  and  to  pray. 

Few  are  the  numbers,  such  as  he, 

Who  constitute  the  town  ; — 
A  hardy  few,  with  brawny  arms. 

And  faces  seared  and  brown  ; 
A  noble  few,  of  sturdy  forms, 

Laboring  and  sincere, 
Are  centered  round  the  modest  church. 

Far  in  the  distance,  there  ; 
That  church  and  its  successor  both 

Long  since  have  passed  away, 
And  given  place  to  the  fairer  one 

The  town  can  boast  to-day. 

Those  men  who  broke  the  forest,  where 

We  proudly  meet  this  year. 
Were  the  grandsires  of  the  grey-haired  men, 

Who  now  are  gathered  here. 
They're  sleeping  ;  and  they  long  have  slept ; 

Their  children,  too,  are  dead  ; 
They're  sleeping  ; — and  there's  scarce  a  stone 

To  mark  their  final  bed. 
'Tis  little  of  those  ancient  ones 

We're  now  allowed  to  know. 
But  such  was  all  of  Worthington 

An  hundred  years  ago. 

The  town  had  then  no  history ; 

Its  history  then  begun  ; 
But  Massachusetts  had  a  name, — 

Her  status  had  been  won. 
Her  character  was  fixed  and  known, 

Her  history  centuries  old ; 
Her  virtues  and  her  daring  deeds. 

Old  chronicles  had  told. 

Come,  let  us  step  a  century  back, 
And  standing  there  we'll  see 
15 


114  SECULAR   HISTORY   OF   THE 

The  changes,  be  they  good  or  ill, 

That  mark  her  history. 
They'll  plainly  show  that  olden  scenes 

And  thoughts  have  passed  away, 
That  the  Massachusetts  of  that  time, 

Does  not  exist  to-day. 
Her  hills  the  same ;  her  streams  the  same  ; 

The  same  her  honest  fame  ; 
But  little  else  remains  unchanged 

Except  her  cherished  name. 
And  even  the  hills  are  not  the  same  ; 

They  lack  the  towering  tree  ; 
Her  streams  have  dwindled  ;  and  the  name 

No  more  begins  with  "  TAe." 
Her  character,  though  noting  still 

The  stock  from  which  it  sprung, 
Is  not  the  character  she  bore 

"When  Worthington  was  young. 

But  whether  changed  for  good  or  ill, 

'Tis  not  for  bards  to  say ; 
Some  proudly  boast  her  wondrous  growth  ; 

Some  mourn  her  sad  decay.  v 

The  judgment  in  the  case  will  be 

When  we  the  changes  scan, 
Just  as  we  deem  the  proper  state 

And  destiny  of  man  : — 
Is't  best  that  he  should  spend  his  years 

In  all  simplicity  ? 
Or  should  he  strive  for  fame  and  wealth 

And  live  in  luxury  ? 
Whether  he  most  belongs  to  Time 

Or  to  Eternity, 
The  Bard  presumes  not  to  decide 

Where  wise  ones  disagree, 
'Tis  his  to  draw  the  picture  so 

That  all  the  change  may  see. 
In  sketchy  pictures  will  he  strive 

Some  little  light  to  throw 
On  manners,  customs,  scenes  and  men 

A  century  ago. 

And  first,  we'll  look  upon  the  house — 
The  home  in  years  of  old  : — 

'Twas  built  as  a  protection  from 
The  storm  and  winter's  cold, 

But  more  for  shelter  from  the  rain, 
Than  either  warmth  or  show  ; 


TOWN   OF   WORTHINGTON.  115 

'Twas  open  to  the  searching  winds, 
And  to  the  driven  snow. 

They  feared  not  these  : — they  lived  'mong  woods, 

And  knew  the  power  of  fire. 
As  fiercer  raged  the  howling  storm. 

They  piled  the  hearth-stone  higher, 
'Till  all  aglow,  the  crannied  room 

Was  brilliant,  light  and  warm ; 
And,  circled  'round  the  fire,  they  bid 

Defiance  to  the  storm. 

Those  kitchen  fires — my  memory  leads 

Back  to  an  olden  time. 
When  the  sturdy  farmer's  kitchen  fire 

Was  a  thing  almost  sublime. 
An  ample  space — ten  feet  or  more. 

Deep  bayed,  was  on  one  side 
O'er  which  a  spacious  chimney  rose 

An  opening  deep  and  wide  ; 
Within  was  heaped  a  pile  of  wood — 

The  Ijalf  a  cord  or  more, 
For  warmth,  and  light,  and  comfort  to  *^ 

The  family  ranged  before. 
Here,  in  one  corner  sat  the  sire, 

At  the  other  sat  the  dame. 
The  rest  the  half  a  circle  made 

Around  the  genial  flame. 

And  still  we  speak  of  hearth  and  home, 

And  the  circle  'round  the  hearth, 
And  make  that  hearth  the  emblem  of 

The  sweetest  joys  of  earth. 
They  had  no  stoves ;  the  house  was  cold. 

On  the  hearth  they  built  their  fires  ; 
And  'round  the  hearth  all  loved  ones  sat ; 

There  centered  each  desire. 
There  sat  the  father  and  his  boys, 

Their  hard  day's  work  was  done  ; 
Not  so  with  mother  and  the  girls  :— 

They  mended,  knit,  or  spun. 
The  father  read  his  Bible,  or 

"  Saint's  Rest,"  or  "  Baxter's  Call," 
The  boys  conned  o'er  the  Catechism 

'Till  they  could  say  it  all. 
The  father  spoke  with  solemn  look, 

Of  the  Devil  or  of  God, 


116  SECULAR   HISTORY  OF   THE 

And  ever  kept  within  his  reach 

The  awe-inspiring  rod, 
For  you  must  know,  the  rule  was  then 

Maintained  alone  by  fear ; 
And  youthful  ebullitions  met 

A  box  upon  the  ear ; 
Or,  if  'twas  Sunday,  nought  atoned 

Such  disrespect  to  God, 
But  the  solemn  application  of 

The  ever-present  rod. 
Parent  was  then  an  awful  name. 

As  well  each  child  must  know  ; 
For  children  did  not  rule  the  house 

An  hundred  years  ago. 


Life  was  a  simple  thing  to  those 

Who  lived  in  years  gone  by  ; 
Fancy  and  fashion  did  not  rule  ; 

Independence  was  their  joy. 
They  raised  the  grain  on  which  they  fed  ; 

They  made  the  cloth  they  wore ; 
They  sought  for  comfort ;  and  they  tried 

To  add  unto  their  store. 
They  little  knew  of  stock  or  trade ; 

Thought  not  of  sudden  gains ; 
But  sought  to  reach  their  honest  ends 

By  labors  and  by  pains. 
No  foreign  luxuries  they  knew. 

No  foreign  fashions  sought. 
They  dressed  for  comfort^  not  display : 

And  made  instead  of  bought. 
The  matrons'  and  the  maidens'  pride 

Was  not  silks  from  foreign  lands. 
But  flannel,  carded,  dyed  and  spun, 

And  woven  by  their  hands. 
Four  yards  of  that  composed  the  dress 

Of  the  fairest  of  the  town ; 
Each  had  her  decent  dress  for  home. 

And  her  newer  Sunday  gown. 
Guiltless  of  shoes,  at  home,  abroad, 

The  bright-eyed  maiden  trod  : — 
Shoes  were  alone  for  winter  months 

And  the  sacred  house  of  God. 
To  make  these  clothes,  tho'  few  they  were, 

That  all  might  neat  appear, 
Was  with  the  women  in  the  house, 
The  great  work  of  the  year. 


TOWN   OF   WORTHINGTON.  117 

In  the  winter,  while  the  older  boys 

Were  working  with  the  axe, 
The  father  bent  his  sturdy  form 

To  break  and  swingle  flax. 
The  mother  spun  the  hackled  flax, 

The  daughter  spun  the  tow ; 
Their  finest  clothes  were  made  at  home, 

And  bleached  as  white  as  snow. 
The  work  on  flax  must  all  be  done 

When  the  snows  have  disappeared  ; 
For  the  work  on  wool  is  to  commence 

Soon  as  the  sheep  are  sheared. 
That  was  carded,  and  spun,  and  woven,  and  dyed. 

And  fitted  with  needle  and  shears ; 
For  a  homespun  race  were  the  women  and  men 

Who  lived  in  the  far  gone  years. 

If  simple  their  dress,  as  simple  their  homes ; 

A  kitchen, — perhaps  a  spare  room. 
In  the  kitchen  were  seen  a  couple  of  beds, 

A  table,  two  wheels  and  a  loom, 
Some  kettles  and  pots,  a  skillet  and  pan, 

A  crane  and  its  system  of  hooks. 
Some  benches  and  stools,  or  home-made  chairs, 

A  Bible  and  a  couple  of  books. 
With  these  and  content  they  had  ample  store, 

What  cared  they  for  cabinet  ware  ? 
They  were  things  unknown  in  those  simple  homes, 

Those  years  of  labor  and  care. 
They  worked  for  a  living  ;  they'd  no  money  to  spend 

On  luxuries,  fashion,  or  pride. 
For  a  living  they  trusted  in  God  and  themselves. 

And  trusting  in  God  they  died. 

Now  our  pleasure  and  our  boast 
Are  our  means  of  locomotion ; 
But  of  buggies,  steam  or  flying  cars, 

They  had  not  the  slightest  notion. 
God  gave  them /ee«,— they  prized  their  feet. 

And  prized  their  self-reliance  ; 
With  these  the  maidens  went  to  church ; 

The  storm  and  wind's  defiance. 
Cold  sleety  rains,  and  driving  storms 

For  them  had  no  alarms, 
The  mothers  walked  three  miles  to  church, 

With  their  babies  in  their  arms. 
For  man  and  woman,  maid  and  youth, 

They  all  knew  how  to  walk  ; 


118  SECULAR   HISTORY   OF   THE 

That  art  they'd  practiced,  even  before 

They  first  began  to  talk, 
And  then  it  was  their  honest  pride, 

If  they  had  a  horse,  that  horse  to  ride. 

A  pleasant  rural  sight  it  was, 

When  the  Sabbath  morn  had  come  ; 
None  ever  thought  to  spend  the  day 

In  idle  rest  at  home. 
Their  shoes  had  all  been  greased  before. 

Breakfast  and  morning  prayers  were  o'er, 
All  had  put  on  their  best  attire, 

They'd  covered  up  the  morning  fire, 
The  horse  was  saddled  at  the  door, 

A  sober  horse  was  he; 
For  well  he  knew  his  Sunday  work. 

Was  to  carry  two  or  three ; 
The  pillion  then  was  the  woman's  pride, 

For  behind  her  lord  she  could  cosily  ride, 
And  display,  as  she  rode,  her  lovliest  charm. 

Her  love  for  her  lord,  and  the  babe  on  her  arm. 
This,  too,  was  the  way  the  lover  would  ride, 

When  he  carried  the  maiden  he  sought  as  his  bride. 
A  few  of  you  gray-beards  remember  the  day, 

When  the  last  of  the  pillions  were  passing  away ; 
And  how  you  have  stood  by  the  temple  of  God, 

And  seen  the  grave  horse  deposit  its  load, 
The  stout  burly  farmer,  his  fair  buxom  wife, 

Besides  what  he  carried  of  juvenile  life. 

They  rode  on  a  horse,  if  they  could  one  afibrd. 
If  not,  they  had  feet,  for  which  bless  the  Lord  I 

A  journey  was  a  difierent  thing, 

From  what  it  is  to-day  ; 
A  toilsome,  and  soul-wearying  drag, 

A  tedious,  lingering  way, 
Two  hundred  miles !     O  fearful  thought ! 

How  long  that  way  will  last ! 
What  triumph  to  the  daring  man, 

Who  o'er  that  space  had  passed, 
Such  journey  was  a  thing,  a  man 

Scarce  ventured  on  again ; 
A  noted  era  in  his  life. 

Was  the  year  he  went  to  Maine. 
With  firm  resolve,  the  time  is  set, 

The  journey  must  be  made, 


TOWN   OF   WORTHINGTON.  H9 

The  congregation  ask  for  them, 

Protecting  care  and  aid, 
The  neighbors  meet,  wish  them  God  speed, 

With  many  a  fervent  prayer, 
Our  hero  mounts  his  sturdy  horse, 

His  wife  the  dappled  mare. 
With  choking  voice,  they  bid  "  good-bye," 

Start  on  their  toilsome  way  ; 
And  jog  along,  at  gentle  trot, 

Full  thirty  miles  a  day. 

O,  for  the  peaceful,  good  old  times, 
Sighed  for  so  oft  in  modern  rhymes. 

Yet  these  show  not  the  character, 

But  feebly  they  portray 
The  men  who  occupied  the  State, 

A  century  to-day. 
These  show  their  simple  style  of  life. 

And  by  them  we  are  brought 
To  see  the  change  in  outward  things, 

A  century  has  wrought. 

But  there's  an  inner  life,  a  thought 

Which  concentrates  the  soul. 
Around  which  all  those  things  revolve. 

Which  make  up  life's  great  whole. 
Our  fathers  had  their  inner  life; — 

Religion  in  the  soul, 
And  all  combined  to  render  that 

The  center  of  the  whole. 
With  solemn  step,  and  mien  sedate. 

Their  daily  round  they  trod. 
Because  they  felt  and  realized. 

An  ever-present  God. 
With  them  to  waver  from  that  thought, 

No  penance  could  atone  ; 
Their  life's  great  business  was  to  live 

For  God,  and  God  alone. 
This  made  them  stern,  stern  to  themselves, 

And  stern  at  duty's  call. 
Stern  with  heretic  doubters,  and 

Austere  and  stern  to  all. 

For  them  it  seemed  the  darkening  veil 
That  closed  the  skies  was  riven, — 


120  SECULAR   HISTORY   OF   THE 

And  before  their  ever-present  sight 

Were  God,  and  hell,  and  heaven. 
They  saw  co-equal,  struggling  powers, 

Infinite  good  and  evil  ; 
The  blest  incarnate  Son  of  God, 

And  the  unincarnate  Devil. 
They  looked  beyond  this  mortal  life, 

And  felt  'twas  theirs  to  dwell 
For  eternal  ages  with  their  God, 

Or  in  surging  flames  of  hell ; 
They  felt  the  human  soul  was  vile, 

All  was  corrupt  within;  . 
That  aught  not  linked  with  Christ  or  God, 

Was  deep  and  damning  sin ; 
That  earthly  joys,  and  earthly  loves, 

Were  but  temptations,  given 
To  lure  poor  pilgrims  from  the  road, 

The  narrow  road  to  heaven. 
What  were  to  them  the  trifling  things. 

Met  with  or  suffered  here  ? 
They'd  hell  and  heaven  both  full  in  view, 

And  they  worshiped  God  with  fear  ; 
Fear,  for  they  felt  they  never  knew 

Whether  God  would  frown  or  smile. 
So  sinful  were  their  wicked  hearts. 

And  wicked  thoughts  the  while  ; 
Fear,  lest  when  the  eternal  Judge, 

Should  the  Book  of  Life  unroll. 
They  should  not  be  of  those,  who  find 

Their  names  upon  the  scroll; 
That  scroll,  on  which  ere  time  began, 

The  elect  were  all  enrolled ; 
Fear,  for  their  final  doom,  unknown 

While  here  on  earth  they  stay; 
Doom,  that  can  only  be  revealed 

At  the  great,  the  Judgment  Day. 

Centering  around  that  one  great  thought. 

Was  inner  and  outer  life  ; 
To  conquer  self,  and  live  for  Christ, 

Was  the  daily,  constant  strife. 
This  gave  to  them  their  measured  step. 

And  the  countenance  they  wore  ; 
This  gave  to  them  their  firm  resolve. 

And  the  characters  they  bore. 
Theirs  was  no  religion,  which 

Was  by  assent  received  ; 


TOWN    OF   WORTHINGTON.  121 

But  the  stern  faith,  that  they  professed, 
Their  inmost  souls  believed. 


Then  was  the  church  a  sacred  place, 

Sunday  a  sacred  day, 
And  then  and  there  all  people  met. 

In  holy  courts  to  pray. 
In  pulpit  stood  their  reverend  guide, 

A  sounding-board  o'erhead  ; 
He  felt,  while  standing  there,  'twas  his 

To  break  to  them  the  heavenly  bread. 
The  congregation  in  the  pews 

Devoutly  thought  it  so, 
For  religion  was  a  vital  thing 

A  century  ago. 


The  people  met  ;  the  lame,  the  old. 

All  found  an  open  door  ; 
The  body  seats  and  galleries 

Were  open  to  the  poor. 
They  met  as  sinners,  standing  in 

The  presence  of  their  Lord  ; 
The  rich  and  beggar,  side  by  side. 

Were  listening  to  the  word. 
Their  looks  were  solemn,  and  their  step 

Was  reverent  and  slow  ; 
For  priest  and  people  all  believed. 

An  hundred  years  ago. 


No  man  of  fashion  or  of  state 

Was  the  reverend  pastor  then, 
He  felt  his  was  the  holy  work 

To  guide  the  souls  of  men  ; 
That  in  the  wilderness  of  life, 

'Twas  his  to  smite  the  rock, 
And  to  the  gushing  fount  of  life 

To  lead  his  fainting  flock ; 
To  guide  them  to  the  gardens,  where 

The  fruits  immortal  grow ; 
For  the  pastor  was  a  guide  and  power, 

A  century  ago. 


With  reverent  step,  on  Sabbath  morn, 
He  trod  the  central  aisle  ; 
16 


122  SECULAR   HISTOKY    OF    THE 

None  greeted,  as  he  passed  along, 

Their  pastor  with  a  smile. 
Hushed  was  each  breath ;  each  look  was  awe 

As  the  sacred  aisle  he  trod  ; 
They  followed  with  a  reverent  look 

The  holy  man  of  God. 
Ordained  to  point  to  joys  divine, 

Or  herald  wrath  and  wo, 
To  them  he  was  God's  messenger, 

An  hundred  years  ago. 

Thus  filled  with  solemn  fear  of  God, 

Their  souls  subdued  to  awe. 
They  bowed  to  God,  and  God  alone, 

And  reverenced  his  law. 
Humbly  before  His  throne  they  stood. 

Through  Jesus  seeking  aid ; 
That  throne  was  veiled  in  wrath  divine  ; 

They  trembled  while  they  prayed. 
For,  sinful,  vile,  in  Adam  cursed. 

They  dared  not  there  appear  ; 
But,  shielded  by  the  Crucified, 

They  humbly  ventured  near. 
With  beating  hearts,  they  prayed  that  God 

Would  smile  upon  his  Son  ; 
And  pardon  for  that  Son's  dear  sake, 

The  deeds  that  they  had  done. 
Depraved  in  body,  mind,  and  soul ; — 

Conceived  and  born  in  sin. 
They  did  not  dare  appeal  to  God, 

Or  hope  his  smile  to  win. 
How  could  they  dare  ?     They  had  no  hope 

From  a  wrathful,  vengeful  God  ; 
Their  hope  was  mediatorial  grace  ; — - 

Was  Jesus,  and  his  blood. 
They  lived  ;  they  worshiped,  and  they  prayed 

In  full,  undoubting  faith  ; 
Faith  was  their  guiding  star  in  life. 

Their  anchorage  in  death. 

Such  was  the  inner  life  ; — the  life 

In  years  a  century  gone  ; 
New  England's  structure, — rising  high,— ' 

Had  this  for  its  corner-stone. 


But  the  Bard  will  come  back,— fi-om  antiquity,  down 
To  the  friends  of  his  youth,  and  his  dear  native  town ! 


TOWN   OF   WORTHINGTON.  123 

To  the  scenes  of  the  present — the  gathering  here, 

Where  Worthington's  sons  and  daughters  appear, 

Each  other  to  greet — old  loves  to  renew — 

And  the  scenes  of  their  childhood  again  to  review. 

A  thousand  fond  memories  are  clustering  round 

Each  rock,  each  house,  and  each  acre  of  ground  : 

But  'tis  sad,  when  we  think  of  the  years  that  have  sped. 

How  many,  we  loved,  now  sleep  with  the  dead. 

But  my  greeting  to  all.     A  century  more 

Will  find  us  all  passed  to  Eternity's  shore. 

When  Eternity's  clock  tells  the  century  done, 

May  we  stand,  unabashed,  by  the  Deity's  throne. 


